taeisfrItrcinadteRl fHge dcto ntttosi einlDvlpeti h odcCutis NORDRE Strategies for Interaction and the Role of Higher Education Institutions in Regional Development in the Nordic Countries Strategies for Interaction and the Role of Higher Education Institutions in Regional Development in the Nordic Countries – Case Studies

Maria Lindqvist, Lise Smed Olsen, Peter Arbo, Veera Lehto and Henna Hintsala

NORDREGIO WORKING PAPER 2012:3

Nordregio P.O. Box 1658 SE–111 86 Stockholm, Sweden [email protected] GIO WORKING PAPER 2012:2 www.nordregio.se www.norden.org

ISSN 1403-2511 Nordic Council of Ministers ISBN 978-91-89332-88-1 Strategies for Interaction and the Role of Higher Education Institutions in Regional Development in the Nordic Countries

Case Studies

Strategies for Interaction and the Role of Higher Education Institutions in Regional Development in the Nordic Countries

Case Studies

Maria Lindqvist, Lise Smed Olsen, Peter Arbo, Veera Lehto and Henna Hintsala Nordregio WP 2012:3

ISBN 978-91-89332-88-1 ISSN 1403-2511

© Nordregio 2012

Nordregio P.O. Box 1658 SE-111 86 Stockholm, Sweden [email protected] www.nordregio.se www.norden.org

Analyses and text: Maria Lindqvist, Lise Smed Olsen, Peter Arbo, Veera Lehto and Henna Hintsala Repro and print: Allduplo, Stockholm, Sweden

Nordic co-operation takes place among the countries of Denmark, , Iceland, and Sweden, as well as the autonomous territories of the Faroe Islands, Greenland and Åland.

The Nordic Council is a forum for co-operation between the Nordic parliaments and governments. The Council consists of 87 parliamentarians from the Nordic countries. The Nordic Council takes policy initiatives and monitors Nordic co-operation. Founded in 1952.

The Nordic Council of Ministers is a forum of co-operation between the Nordic governments. The Nordic Council of Ministers implements Nordic co-operation. The prime ministers have the overall responsibility. Its activities are co-ordinated by the Nordic ministers for co-operation, the Nordic Committee for co-operation and portfolio ministers. Founded in 1971.

Nordregio – Nordic Centre for Spatial Development works in the fi eld of spatial development, which includes physical planning and regional policies, in particular with a Nordic and European comparative perspective. Nordregio is active in research, education and knowledge dissemination and provides policy-relevant data. Nordregio was established in 1997 by the Nordic Council of Ministers. The centre is owned by the fi ve Nordic countries and builds upon more than 30 years of Nordic cooperation in its fi eld.

Stockholm, Sweden, 2012 Contents

Preface ...... 7

Aalborg University (AAU) ...... 9 The ...... 9 Presentation of Aalborg University ...... 9 Collaboration with the surrounding society ...... 11 The role of AAU in regional development ...... 14

University of Iceland (UI) ...... 17 Iceland ...... 17 Presentation of University of Iceland ...... 17 Collaboration with the surrounding society ...... 18 The role of the University of Iceland in regional development ...... 21

University of (UiN) ...... 23 The County of Nordland ...... 23 Presentation of ...... 23 Collaboration with the surrounding society ...... 25 The role of UiN in regional development ...... 27

University of Tromsø (UiT) ...... 29 The region of ...... 29 Presentation of University of Tromsø ...... 29 Collaboration with the surrounding society ...... 31 The role of the University of Tromsø in regional development ...... 33

Karlstad University (KaU)...... 37 The County of Värmland ...... 37 Presentation of Karlstad University ...... 37 Collaboration with the surrounding society ...... 40 The role of Karlstad University in regional development ...... 43

Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm (KTH) ...... 45 Stockholm County ...... 45 Presentation of KTH ...... 46 Collaboration with the surrounding society ...... 48 The role of KTH in regional development ...... 50 HAMK University of Applied Sciences ...... 53 The Häme region ...... 53 Presentation of HAMK ...... 53 Collaboration with the surrounding society ...... 56 The role of HAMK in regional development ...... 58

Lappeenranta University of Technology (LUT) ...... 61 The region ...... 61 Presentation of LUT ...... 61 Collaboration with the surrounding society ...... 64 The role of LUT in regional development ...... 65 Preface

This working paper is part of a project initiated in late from the possibility to develop synergies with other 2009 and funded by the Nordic Council of Ministers. The on-going projects at Nordregio, for example the project focuses on the various roles of higher education Regional Innovation Monitor project (Technopolis/ institutions (HEI) in regional development. Important DG Enterprise), participation in the development of an issues concern different strategies and incentives for internal quality policy for external collaboration (KTH) university collaboration with external parties. The and an analysis of cluster collaborations in the region project includes a combination of a literature review, of Värmland (Region Värmland). case studies and a quantitative pilot study of student The project was supported by a reference group mobility, based on micro data. In this working paper, consisting of the following representatives of Nordic eight case studies of Nordic HEIs are presented. The countries; Peter Arbo, UiT, Eija-Riitta Niinikoski, case studies include HEIs from different types of , Sigríður Elín Þórðardóttir, regions in terms of size and population density so as Byggðastofnun, Göran Reitberger, KTH, Maria Lönn, to offer a better understanding of the role of HEIs in County Administrative Board of Stockholm, Morten different regional contexts. Solgaard Thomsen, Danish Agency for Science, Project manager at Nordregio and author of the Technology and Innovation, and Monika Mörtberg Swedish case studies on Karlstad University and Royal Backlund (replacing Kristian Möller), Nordic Council Institute of Technology (KTH) was Maria Lindqvist. of Ministers. Valuable input was also provided by The case studies on Aalborg University (Denmark), participants at a concluding policy workshop in University of Iceland and Nordland University (Norway) December 2011. were written by Lise Smed Olsen and the case study In addition to this working paper, a synthesis of the University of Tromsö (Norway) by Peter Arbo, report including a comparative analysis and the main University of Tromsö (UiT). Veera Lehto and Henna fi ndings has been prepared; ‘Strategies for Interaction Hintsala were the authors of the Finnish case studies on and the Role of Higher Education Institution in Regional HAMK University of Applied Science and University Development in the Nordic Countries’, Nordregio of Lappeenranta. Other members of the project team Report 2012:2. The reports can be downloaded from were Apostolos Baltzopoulos, Moa Hedström and Lisa www.nordregio.se. Hörnström. Interviews were carried out between April Stockholm, February 2012 2010 and October 2011. The report has benefi tted

NORDREGIO WORKING PAPER 2012:3 7 8 NORDREGIO WORKING PAPER 2012:3 Aalborg University (AAU)

Written by Lise Smed Olsen, Nordregio

The North Jutland Region

The North Jutland Region in Denmark covers an area strategy also stresses that a general weakness of the of 7 949 km² and had 579 628 inhabitants in 2010. region is that education levels are relatively low, as are The population density was 73 persons per km2, competencies in fi rms. This is a challenge as the growth which was below the national average (128 persons). of many fi rms increasingly depends on new, well- The region comprises 12 municipalities, of which educated employees. Moreover, the investment of fi rms Aalborg is the largest municipality in North Jutland in research and development activities is relatively low with 197 426 inhabitants (Lindqvist, 2010). Statistics in the region (Vækstforum Nordjylland, 2008). show that the North Denmark Region has experienced As is also the case in the other Danish regions, an overall reduction in population between 1997 and the Regional Growth Forum of North Denmark plays 2007, whereas the remaining four Danish regions have a central role in regional development. The three main experienced population growth. Population stagnation roles of the regional partnership are to lead the regional in North Jutland has mainly occurred in the more development strategy, to monitor regional development, remote municipalities, while Aalborg has seen an and to decide on the allocation of regional development overall increase in population of 3 percent. In the most funds, including the EU Structural Funds. The Rector recent business development strategy of the region, the of Aalborg University is a member of the Growth clusters in the areas of construction, ICT, and medicine Forum. and health are emphasised as especially strong. The

Presentation of Aalborg University

Aalborg University Centre was established in 1974 as From the very beginning, Aalborg University was the fi fth HEI in Denmark after years of local political characterised by its use of problem based project work, efforts to establish a university in North Jutland. At the also known as the Aalborg model, and by collaboration time, the region underwent comprehensive structural with the surrounding society. changes, demonstrating a shift from an industrial Since the beginning, research and development economy towards a knowledge economy, especially have played a signifi cant role in the interaction between with the closure of the shipyard industry in North the region and the university, as technology has been Jutland. These circumstances lead to a mutual interest perceived as an important driving force in the renewal of for stakeholders in the region and Aalborg University the industrial structure of the region. The development to facilitate structural changes in the region. From of an international and competitive cluster in the the beginning, it was decided that the university’s fi eld of ICT, which created new workplaces and new research and education activities should focus on inter- businesses in the 1980s and 1990s, has played a pivotal disciplinary integration, problem orientation and group role for how regional stakeholders perceive research and work (Kerndrup, 2005). development as the driving force for development in Opening in 1974, the university was made up of the region. The IT and communications area generated a Faculty of Humanities, a Faculty of Social Sciences employment growth of 60 per cent in Aalborg and 50 and a Faculty of Engineering and Science (since 2010: per cent in the region of North Jutland as a whole. It Faculty of Engineering, Science and Medicine). In 1994, developed into a geographical specialisation, especially the university centre became Aalborg University (AAU). for the sub-industry of wireless technology (Kerndrup

NORDREGIO WORKING PAPER 2012:3 9 2005). helps the students learn how to analyse problems, how to The main purpose of AAU was from the work with a result-oriented focus and how to collaborate beginning to establish strong collaboration with the within a team (Aalborg University 2011, b). Studies have surrounding society. This role is stressed in AAU’s indicated that graduates from AAU are appreciated strategy for the period 2010-2015: “AAU’s profi le in the labour market due to their ability to deal with was developed for the purpose of value creation actual problems in fi rms and public organisations. within education and research in dialogue with the Often, students carry out projects within the region, surrounding society. The essence of the central output but collaboration with fi rms and organisations is not is the education of highly qualifi ed and dedicated limited to North Jutland. Further adding to the close graduates who have worked in an integrated manner interaction with the surrounding society, internships with industry, the business sector and public institutions are an integrated part of most master’s programmes at already during their studies, as well as solution oriented AAU (Olesen, interview). and interdisciplinary research that meets both quality To collaborate with the surrounding society, and relevance criteria” (Aalborg University, 2010). In AAU has a unique arrangement in cooperation with the the strategy, it is stated that AAU has a specifi c mission Growth Forum of North Jutland, called the ‘knowledge within three interrelated issues: problem based learning, dissemination agreement’. It is a framework agreement, inter-disciplinarity and innovation. for the period 2010-2012, between the two parties which comprises 12 sub-activities. The knowledge dissemination agreement sets guidelines for how Facts and fi gures cooperation with the university should take place in The number of students has increased from 3 000 relation with projects funded by the Growth Forum. The during the fi rst years of the university to the present 15 main purpose of the agreement is to ensure knowledge 000. Moreover, AAU has set up campuses in Esbjerg transfer from the university to fi rms in the region. The in the South of Denmark and in Ballerup in the capital Growth Forum provides up to 50 per cent co-fi nancing area (Aalborg University, 2011a). for activities carried out within the focus areas of the All of AAU’s education programmes are based agreement. The knowledge dissemination agreement on a model of teaching and learning called the problem- between the Growth Forum and the University is the based, project-organised model also referred to as only one of its kind in Denmark (Lemvigh, interview). problem-based learning “PBL - The Aalborg model”. The fi gure below, developed by Niels Maarbjerg The PBL - Aalborg Model is recognised nationally and Olesen, illustrates the wider spectrum of third task internationally as an advanced and effi cient learning activities which are carried out by AAU. These range model and a trademark for Aalborg University. The PBL from user-driven outreach activities to knowledge- model gives students the possibility of working with the driven outcome activities. business community to solve real-life problems, and it

10 NORDREGIO WORKING PAPER 2012:3 Figure 1: Knowledge interactions AAU – and their users

Source: Niels Maarbjerg Olesen, Faculty Director, the Engineering, Science and Medicine Faculties, & Director, AAU Innovation

While AAU is known for collaborating with the ranking systems to become more comprehensive and surrounding society, the national incentive structure capture more indicators. An arena through which does not reward researchers for working with the third the institution is trying to infl uence the system, at an mission, which according to interviewees limits the EU level, is through its involvement in the European extent to which researchers engage in third mission Consortium of Innovative Universities (ECIU). activities. Researchers are selective in choosing which AAU has been a member of ECIU since collaboration projects to become engaged in and need to 1997, when the consortium was formed. It was see that the projects will benefi t their research portfolio, established with the purpose of strengthening the by feeding into academic articles, for example. Olesen member universities’ strategic cooperation within (interview) notes that the issue of lacking incentives to research, education and regional development. Some support the third mission not only concerns the Danish cooperation activities between the 14 members involve state, but is an international issue. Today, researchers are lobbying activities to infl uence EU programmes, and part of a global labour market and need to maintain a the development of common education programmes. strong CV. As long as the international system does not AAU became involved in the ECIU because of its reward the third mission, it will limit the extent to which problem-based learning profi le, which is considered to researchers engage in such activities. Related to this be innovative and has been described by the OECD as discussion is the issue of international ranking systems. an almost perfect learning method (Olesen, interview; AAU is involved in a number of activities to change ECIU 2011).

Collaboration with the surrounding society

This section introduces examples of how AAU An example of a major international initiative of collaborates with the surrounding society, focusing AAU is the Centre for Tele Infrastructure (CTIF). CTIF on the organisation AAU Innovation, and an initiative was established in 2004 as a research and education coordinated by AAU Innovation, BrainsBusiness ICT centre concentrating on wireless technologies. Through North Denmark, which is a private/public partnership CTIF a number of international students and employees within the fi eld of ICT. Focus is placed on collaboration for the wireless telecommunications industry have with the ICT industry, since this is an area in which come to Aalborg. CTIF has now set up divisions in a AAU has been especially active in the region, nationally variety of countries such as Greece, USA, India and and internationally. Japan (Olsen, 2009).

NORDREGIO WORKING PAPER 2012:3 11 An example of how the university is involved in AAU Innovation (SEA) receives annual funding from ICT cooperation nationally is the national IT innovation the Faculty of Engineering, Science and Medicine, network INFINIT, which involves a network of strong although it services all three faculties at AAU. As with IT research environments across the country, and which other parts of the organisation, it depends on project is coordinated by AAU. The network is fi nanced by the funding, and it is currently involved in three EU Danish Agency for Science, Technology and Innovation; Structural Funds projects, two of which are granted it is concerned with developing cooperation between by the regional Growth Forum, while the third is an research and the business community. The strategic Interreg project carried out in collaboration with two work and research carried out in INFINIT forms the HEIs in Norway. SEA manages the incubators based at basis for a number of interest groups, which consist different departments of the university. Most incubator of representatives from research and the business projects/business ideas involve the development of community with the purpose of adapting network’s software and include various types of consultancy fi rms. work to the needs and challenges of the business SEA organises various courses on community (Infi nit 2011). entrepreneurship, including methods of integrating The university’s involvement with the ICT industry entrepreneurship in teaching. Within the framework of in the region is evident in times of economic crisis. At the above mentioned ‘regional task force’ dealing with the end of the 1990s, there was high the fi nancial crisis in 2009, SEA opened the university among building engineers in the region, while at the incubators for courses in business development for same time there was a lack of software engineers. AAU, engineers who had business ideas. Approximately 25 in collaboration with a local software fi rm, initiated persons participated in this activity. After the courses an education programme for building engineers to be ended, a number of fi rms were established as spin-offs educated in software engineering. In 2009, as a result originating from the larger fi rms that had closed, while of the global fi nancial crisis and the recent closure of other participants found new jobs. the two biggest wireless fi rms in Aalborg, Motorola and ‘Solution Camps’ is a popular initiative run by Texas Instruments, a high number of engineers became SEA. In Solution Camps, fi rms can suggest problems unemployed. This led to the initiation of a ‘task force’ which they wish to solve. Up to 20 students are then which also involved the BrainsBusiness partnership, and involved during one day, where they, in cooperation offered competence and business development courses with creativity consultants from SEA, work with at AAU for the engineers (Olsen 2009). this problem. This is a way to make fi rms aware of the knowledge they can utilise at the university. Workshop for Innovation and Entrepreneurship AAU Innovation (WOFIE) is another SEA initiative which involves an In 1996 the Network Centre was established at AAU interdisciplinary workshop targeted at master’s students with the purpose of building networks between across all faculties of the university. During the four-day research environments at the university, the business workshop, the participants work with idea development, community and public authorities. In 2005, more creativity, business development and risk taking. The services had been added to the Network Centre and goal of WOFIE is to provide the students with the the name of the organisation was changed to AAU tools and abilities to work on and present one or more Innovation (Kerndrup 2005). AAU Innovation receives ideas that can lead to innovative concepts and strategies base funding from AAU and is otherwise dependent on with business potential (Andersen, interview). project funds. Due to the project-based character of the The matchmaking project is coordinated by organisation, an offi cial strategy has not been developed AAU Innovation. A number of internal and external for AAU Innovation (Olesen, interview). Today, matchmakers have been appointed to work with AAU Innovation has four main functions/divisions: this task. Each department at AAU has appointed a knowledge-based networks; commercialisation; matchmaker who helps industrial partners fi nd the entrepreneurship; and matchmaking. relevant researcher and/or research environment Knowledge-based networks, which build on in their fi eld. Internal matchmakers are expected to the activities of the Network Centre, are coordinated allocate approximately 10 per cent of their time to by AAU Innovation. An example of one of these matchmaking activities, which are covered by project networks is BrainsBusiness ICTNORCOM, which will funds. Currently, 75 external matchmakers are located at be the focus of the next section. The commercialisation business promotion offi ces and large companies around unit deals with inventions generated by employees at the region. Furthermore, 10 ‘matchpoints’ have been AAU, most often from the Faculty of Engineering and established, which are physical meeting places based in Science. some of the municipalities of North Jutland. External The division for Supporting Entrepreneurship at matchmakers are located at business promotion offi ces

12 NORDREGIO WORKING PAPER 2012:3 around the region. The external matchmakers help tasks are divided between the different partners. The businesses and industry in their area to connect with Municipality of Aalborg has overall responsibility for relevant departments and research environments at the project; the secretariat of ICTNORCOM, based at AAU. The matchmaking project has been developed as AAU Innovation, is responsible for developing networks part of the knowledge dissemination agreement (Nøhr, within BrainsBusiness; ICT Aalborg University is interview). responsible for marketing BrainsBusiness; and fi nally, AAU Innovation regularly accepts representatives the North Denmark Region is involved in different from HEIs, or regional and local authorities on study aspects of the partnership and serves as a signifi cant visits. These representatives, who are interested in link to the Region. Responsible persons from each learning about AAU’s approaches to collaborating partner meet every second week to coordinate their with the surrounding society, come primarily from the activities. They are also the main people responsible Nordic countries or from the European Consortium of for developing the BrainsBusiness strategy and in Innovative Universities (Andersen, interview). carrying out background analyses which guide the work of the steering group. The strategy is revised every 18 months. It identifi es focus areas, from which activities BrainsBusiness ICT North Denmark are organised within the framework of BrainsBusiness. BrainsBusiness ICT North Denmark comprises two In the development of the strategy, interested members separate yet interlinked networks, BrainsBusiness of ICTNORCOM have also been involved by attending ICTNORCOM and BrainsBusiness ICT Aalborg brainstorming meetings, where the focus areas of the University. ICTNORCOM is a business forum that was strategy were discussed. established in 2009 after a merger between NoRCOM BrainsBusiness’ activities mainly involve and ICT Forum, which had previously been separate branding the cluster and developing networks. Different networks (Olsen 2009). The organisation is funded events in the form of short seminars and theme days by membership fees. ICT Aalborg University builds are organised within and across networks which have on a previous collaboration initiative called ‘On been established in BrainsBusiness, including both top of ICT’, which involves a number of Heads of fi rms and researchers from AAU. Traditionally, the Departments and Centres at the university that work technical departments at AAU have been involved in with education and research related to ICT. The two cooperating with ICT fi rms, but increasingly it has networks, involving the business community and the become relevant to include a wider range of disciplines, university respectively, are under the umbrella of the such as humanistic informatics, e-learning, design, BrainsBusiness ICT North Denmark partnership, which mechanics and production departments. Another recent is a cluster initiative fi nanced by the regional Growth development in the activities of BrainsBusiness is to Forum for the period between July 2009 to December place focus on the involvement of consumers/users in 2012. The BrainsBusiness partnership also includes research and development processes and utilise open the North Denmark Region and the Municipality of innovation approaches. However, a structured approach Aalborg. The aim is to brand the cluster as a cooperative to working with open innovation has not yet been effort between the university (Brains) and the business developed at AAU. The BrainsBusiness partnership has community (Business). some cooperation through AAU’s campus in Ballerup, The distinction between the two networks within in the capital area, where it is involved in a living lab for the BrainsBusiness partnership mainly involves the broadband technology, called Copenhagen Living. unique history and fi nancing of the organisations. In Funding for research and development projects practice, there is overlap between their activities and is not a part of the BrainsBusiness partnership. the people involved in the networks. Most activities are However, ICTNORCOM is a consulting partner now fi nanced under the umbrella of BrainsBusiness. when the Growth Forum makes decisions on the Among the interviewees, there are varying opinions on allocation of funds to ICT-related applications. The whether the networks will continue in the same manner. ICTNORCOM secretariat at AAU Innovation monitors The leader of the secretariat of ICTNORCOM believes relevant research carried out at the university. Ideas that the two networks will be merged, and they will for projects arise when different parties meet through exist under the name BrainsBusiness ICT North various BrainsBusiness activities and in some cases, Denmark. Conversely, the Chairman of the board of the knowledge dissemination agreement is utilised ICTNORCOM stresses that it is signifi cant to maintain to support cooperation projects between AAU and the network for the business community, which can fi rms. In projects under the knowledge dissemination make statements that public authorities involved in agreement, it is increasingly common that smaller fi rms BrainsBusiness would not be able to make. take part, while larger projects, such as the EU FP-7 As part of the BrainsBusiness partnership, programme, most often involve larger fi rms. In most

NORDREGIO WORKING PAPER 2012:3 13 cases, fi rms do not contribute with direct funding, but European universities (EU Drivers 2011). In connection through the time they spend working in the project. with this, representatives from the region, the business In order to learn from and exchange experiences community and the university regularly attend with other clusters, BrainsBusiness is a member of workshops across Europe focused on different types the organisations Reg X and Reglab. Moreover, it is of cluster initiatives. As part of BrainsBusiness, current involved in the lifelong learning programme EU Drivers, plans involve organising a workshop in the region to which is designed to improve regional cooperation anchor knowledge locally, which has been gained across between universities, private sector companies and local Europe (Nøhr; Vestergaard; Lemvigh, interviews). governments to enhance the innovation capacities of

The role of AAU in regional development

The fact that AAU has stated in its formal strategy In regards to AAU’s role in regional development, that its mission is to work with the interrelated the ICT industry has often been highlighted as an issues of problem based learning, interdisciplinarity industry where the university has been especially active and innovation indicates a strong commitment to and has cooperated with fi rms in the region, with cooperating with the surrounding society. The tradition regards to education, research and development and the of problem based learning at the university entails that creation of networks, for example (see e.g. Olsen 2009; students from different disciplines work with problems Kerndrup 2005). Currently, the industry organisation in fi rms and organisations in (and also outside) the ICTNORCOM, which is a membership organisation region. Studies have indicated that graduates from for ICT fi rms, cooperates with AAU under the cluster AAU are appreciated in the labour market due to their initiative BrainsBusiness ICT North Denmark. This ability to deal with actual problems in fi rms and public initiative, which also involves the North Denmark organisations. A representative from the region stated Region and the Municipality of Aalborg, is funded that overall; AAU is a major player in projects granted by the regional Growth Forum. In addition to the by the Regional Growth Forum (Lemvigh, interview). technical departments, which have traditionally been A signifi cant tool in coordinating activities with the the main cooperation partners for the ICT industry, surrounding society is the ‘knowledge dissemination other departments, such as the humanistic informatics, agreement’ which is funded by the Growth Forum. The e-learning and design departments at AAU are main purpose of this agreement is to ensure the transfer increasingly cooperating with ICT fi rms. Focus areas for of knowledge from the university to fi rms in the region. the BrainsBusiness partnership include interdisciplinary AAU Innovation is a central actor in terms focus areas such as intelligent transport and logistics; of creating links between the university and the smart energy grids; and human computer interaction, surrounding society and it is also the unit responsible for and it was stressed by interviewees that BrainsBusiness coordinating the knowledge dissemination agreement. has synergies with some of the region’s other focus According to the Head of the Regional Development areas. The main focus areas in the current business Department at the North Denmark Region (Lemvigh, development strategy of the region are infl uenced and interview), it is very convenient for the region to know developed by the main strengths of AAU (Lemvigh, that it is possible to establish contact with relevant interview). While the university maintains the regional individuals or research units at the university by calling focus, AAU also engages in projects such as the national a person at AAU Innovation. Through its focus areas INFINIT network, which is concerned with developing of knowledge-based networks, the organisation works links between research and business at a national level with various forms of cooperation; commercialisation; in the fi eld of IT. entrepreneurship; and matchmaking.

14 NORDREGIO WORKING PAPER 2012:3 References Interviews Aalborg University (2010) Strategy for AAU 2010-2015. Andersen, Morten Dahlgaard, Head of section – Aalborg University (2011, a): http://www. Regional Development Manager, AAU Innovation. en.aau.dk/About+Aalborg+University/ Aalborg, 18 February 2011. History+of+Aalborg+University/ Lemvigh, Morten, Head of Department, Regional Aalborg University (2011, b): http://www.en.aau.dk/ Development, North Denmark Region & member of About+Aalborg+University/The+Aalborg+model+fo the steering group, BrainsBusiness. Telephone interview, r+problem+based+learning+%28PBL%29/ 16 March 2011. ECIU (2011): http://eciu.web.ua.pt/page.asp?pg=18 Nøhr, Birgit, Head of Secretariat, BrainsBusiness EU Drivers (2011): http://www.esmu.be/eudrivers. ICTNORCOM, AAU Innovation. Aalborg, 18 February html 2011. Infi nit (2011): http://www.infi nit.dk/dk/forside.htm Olesen, Niels Maarbjerg, Faculty Director, the Kerndrup, S. (2005) Supporting the Contribution Engineering, Science and Medicine Faculties, & of Higher Education Institutions to Regional Director, AAU Innovation, Aalborg University. Aalborg, Development, Sub-report: Aalborg University, Jutland- 18 February 2011. Funen, Denmark. OECD, IMHE project. Vestergaard, Sven, Chief Executive Offi cer, AM3D & Olsen, L. S. (2009), Aalborg University’s involvement Chairman of the Board, BrainsBusiness ICTNORCOM. in ICT collaboration and regional development in Aalborg, 18 February 2011. North Jutland. In Hedin, S. (ed.) Higher education institutions as drivers of regional development in the Nordic countries. Examples of cooperation with the surrounding business environment. Nordregio Electronic Working Paper. Vækstforum Nordjylland (2008) Regional Vækstredegørelse 2008, Analyserapport.

NORDREGIO WORKING PAPER 2012:3 15 16 NORDREGIO WORKING PAPER 2012:3 University of Iceland (UI)

Written by Lise Smed Olsen, Nordregio

Iceland

In 2010, Iceland had a population of 317 630 and an fi shing industry in Iceland. The extensive out-migration average population density of 3 people per km², which from rural areas of Iceland involves the country’s move makes Iceland the most sparsely populated country away from a primary production society towards a in Europe by far. Annual population growth between knowledge-based society. 2005 and 2010 was high by international comparisons The migration pattern shows a gender difference (Lindqvist, 2010). To a large extent, the population is as well, as the development has led to more women concentrated in urban areas in the south-west, close than men living in the capital area, while more men than to the capital of Reykjavík, where two thirds of the women live in rural areas. This may be related to the fact inhabitants live. The remaining third of the population that more women have a higher education degree, and is mainly located in smaller towns and villages around that they have less job opportunities in the rural areas Iceland and in very sparsely populated areas. compared to men (Regional development plan 2006- During the last 20 years, there has been a 2009, 2006). decrease in occupations related to agricultural and

Presentation of University of Iceland

The University of Iceland (UI) celebrated its centennial the long-term goal of the university, fi rst introduced in anniversary in 2011. In 1911, UI was established in its 2006-2011 policy, to become one of the 100 best Reykjavik as the fi rst university in the country through universities in the world. As stated in the current policy the merger of the faculties of theology, medicine and law. of UI, the HEI aims to be active internationally while In 2008, the university merged with Iceland University also committing to the development of the country: of Education. Today, UI comprises fi ve schools (social “The University of Iceland is an international research university sciences; health sciences; humanities; education; that has strong obligations to Icelandic society, culture and engineering; and natural sciences) and 25 faculties. As language.” (University of Iceland, 2011). In the strategy, the fi rst and largest state-run university in Iceland, UI UI is mainly focused on strengthening its collaboration takes on the role of being ‘the national university’. with leading international research universities. Among other responsibilities, this role requires the As noted in the section on higher education in HEI to play an active role in the development of the Iceland, the fact that Iceland has been especially hard entire country. The agreement between the Ministry hit by the global fi nancial crisis also affects UI, and it of Education, Science and Culture and the University is an issue which will come up throughout the study. of Iceland is summarised as follows: “The University With the introduction of UI’s strategy 2006-2011, the undertakes to strengthen the foundation of teaching and research university was allocated an additional 600M ISK annually in the whole of Iceland and establish activity that aims at using, from the Ministry of Education, Science and Culture obtaining and distributing knowledge in the rural regions. It to support the objectives introduced in the strategy. will especially strengthen cooperation with rural research centres” One signifi cant purpose of the additional funds was (Prof. Ólafsson, director University of Iceland Regional to support development in rural areas, where a crisis in Research Centres). cod fi sheries had a great impact at the time. However, The policy of the University of Iceland for the this additional allocation was put on hold in 2009. At period 2011-2016 (University of Iceland, 2011) continues the same time, the fi nancial crisis led to an increase

NORDREGIO WORKING PAPER 2012:3 17 of students as people decided to go back to school 2008 on how a work evaluation system can be set in place for when faced with the alternative of unemployment. In this purpose.” However, this objective of developing a total, the UI has seen a decrease in annual funding of rewards system for collaboration was abandoned during approximately 25 per cent which has required a drastic the period and was not been included in the 2011-2016 budget cut and has put some development plans on UI policy. hold. Although the UI does not reward collaboration UI has developed an evaluation system which is with the surrounding society, it is stressed that now being used by all of the public HEIs in the country. researchers have academic freedom, which entails that It is a points system, which evaluates the academic staff as long as they fulfi l their teaching duties, they are according to their performance in research, which allowed to engage in collaborative projects. Meanwhile, effectively has an impact on each individual’s salary and the system provides incentives fi rst and foremost for academic position. In relation to this, most points are collaboration with international research universities awarded for publishing peer-reviewed articles, book and for peer reviewed publications. chapters and conference presentations. Research and During recent years, the share of external development projects carried out in collaboration with competitive funds has increased at UI, something that the surrounding society, such as with related industry, is also related to the fi nancial crisis,. External funding are credited to a minor extent, and the national public for research projects mainly stem from EU, Nordic and evaluation system for HEIs does not provide incentives US funds. This is something which is referred to by for researchers to collaborate with the surrounding the Pro-rector of Academic Affairs as an opportunity society. In the UI policy 2006-2011 (University of related to the crisis, as more emphasis is now placed Iceland 2006), one of the objectives was that “Research on applying for competitive funds outside of Iceland and consultancy for business and society will be rewarded. The (Benediktson; Jonsson, interviews). University Science Committee will provide proposals before

Collaboration with the surrounding society

The Regional Research Centres As introduced in the national overview of higher for the university’s cooperation with local authorities, education in Iceland, UI is involved in a network institutions, businesses, associations and individuals with three other state-owned universities. In addition in rural areas. The objectives of the institute are to to this, it is involved in other cooperative initiatives provide facilities for research in rural areas; increase the with Icelandic HEIs, such as the Icelandic Tourism general public’s access to education and to strengthen Research Centre, based at the University of Akureyri. the relationship between the University of Iceland The Icelandic Tourism Research Centre is co-fi nanced and the business community. As part of the Institute by UI, the University of Akureyri and Hólar University of University of Iceland Study Centres, a total of College, and before the onset of the global fi nancial nine research centres have been set up as independent crisis, a joint position existed which ensured cooperation organisational units in rural areas in Iceland (University between the three HEIs. Today, the activities, which are of Iceland Study Centres 2011). The focus areas under a limited budget, are undertaken in Akureyri by of the different research centres vary, but overall, one researcher (Huijbens, interview). The main strategic environmental and land usage research, marine research, effort to cooperate with the surrounding society involves and tourism research dominate. The research centres the University of Iceland Regional Research Centres. are small units with one to fi ve employees in each, and The research centres are managed by the are located in areas with less than 5 000 inhabitants Institute of University of Iceland Study Centres, which (Nielsen 2010). The location of the centres is illustrated is a research and service institution that reports to the in the fi gure below. University Council. The institute is the focal point

18 NORDREGIO WORKING PAPER 2012:3 Figure 2: University of Iceland’s Regional Research Centres

Source: University of Iceland (2011)

The establishment of the research centres took place Directors of the nine regional research centres a part gradually during the 2000s. They began as a response to of relevant faculties at UI, and to give them teaching requests by municipalities in rural areas and Parliament positions at the university. Currently, this is not the case, representatives elected in the rural areas who believed as the centres are set up as independent units around that the presence of UI in the rural areas would the country. Some of the Directors of the centres strengthen . When the Institute give lectures in Reykjavik from time to time and they of University of Iceland Study Centres was set up in supervise PhD and Master’s students. However, such 2004, some centres had already started their activities arrangements function on an ad hoc basis, and formal in the rural areas. The institute has fi nancial liability for links do not currently exist. The establishment of the centres which are partially funded by the Ministry formal links between the centres and the faculties are of Education, Science and Culture through UI, by currently being negotiated and the outcome is not yet local authorities, and through external project funds. certain (Jónsson; Árnason, interview). UI received additional funding from the Ministry for As previously mentioned, the centres have the regional research centres in 2006, mainly with the different focus areas and different functions in the purpose of providing a remedy to the infl uences of the communities in which they are based. For example, collapse in cod fi shing at the time in Iceland. one research centre is specialised in whale research and So far, the centres have not been based on another in bird research. In these areas, there is some shared or individual development strategies. Instead, collaboration between researchers and the surrounding focus by the director of the institute and the individual society. At the whale research location, collaboration centres have centred on ensuring their year-to-year base takes place with whale watching (tourism) boats, funding. As UI underwent severe budget cuts in relation which allow researchers and students on board and to the fi nancial crisis, attempts were made centrally to in exchange receive information on research fi ndings. cut the budget of the regional research centres entirely, This is also the case with the local whale museum, with as they were not a fi xed post on the university budget. which the research centre also exchanges information. Meanwhile, strong objections from the municipalities With regards to the research centre working with involved and their representatives in Parliament led to birds, a similar arrangement has been made, where the rescue of the centres, which ended up undergoing the researchers can be onboard local boats for free. the same budget cuts as other institutions of UI. As Meanwhile, one research centre has been emphasised of 2011, the Managing Director of the institute is in as being the most successful in terms of establishing negotiations with the Ministry of Education, Science collaboration with the surrounding society, the and Culture to place the regional research centres as Hornafjordur Rural Research Centre. a fi xed part of the UI budget in the UI’s upcoming contract with the Ministry. This is an agreement which will make a big difference in terms of the fi nancial The Regional Research Centre in security of the research centres and the possibility to Hornafjördur plan more long-term (Ólafsson; Árnason, interview). The regional research centre that is studied The UI 2011-2016 policy states that: “The activities further in this section is located in Höfn in the of University of Iceland’s Research Centres (located around Municipality of Hornafjördur in southeast Iceland. Iceland) will be strengthened, coordinated and linked more closely In 2011, the municipality had a total population with schools and faculties.” (University of Iceland 2011, of 2.030 people (2.370 inhabitants in 2000). p.9). This objective involves plans to formally make the The area has traditionally been dominated by the

NORDREGIO WORKING PAPER 2012:3 19 agriculture and fi sheries industries and more recently by involved in the cluster. In the start-up phase, it was a growing tourism industry. The growth of the tourism fi nanced by the municipality. Today, it is co-fi nanced industry is mainly related to Vatnajökull National Park, by the municipality, the Regional Growth Agreement established in 2008, which is the largest national park in Development Centre of East Iceland (which is Europe (Nielsen 2010). responsible for the implementation of the Growth The research centre in Höfn was established in Agreement of East Iceland) and by membership fees. 2001, as one of the fi rst. Its focus areas are environmental The Regional Research Centre is also a member, and studies, sustainable tourism and culture. It is based in a currently plays an important role in the development of building called Nýheimar, where all public organisations the future strategy of the cluster. in the municipality are based. Nýheimar was established The creation of the national park in 2008 shortly before the centre was started in the area with led to the involvement of the research centre in two the idea of bringing together research (the University Northern Periphery Programme (NPP) projects, fi rst of Iceland Research Centre), education (secondary the ‘Northern Environment for Sustainable Tourism’ school, distance education facilities), innovation (the (NEST) project followed by ‘Northern Environmental local Innovation Centre) and culture (the local cultural Education Development’ (NEED). Both projects centre). Previously, the municipality was a part of were carried out with partners in Norway, Finland the Development Centre of East Iceland, based in a and Ireland, who were all working with national parks neighbouring municipality. However, as the Municipality or protected areas. The NEST project focused on found that the activities of the centre were the same developing connections between the park and tourism as the local Innovation Centre, they decided to opt out fi rms in the area, aiming to build awareness and of the cooperation with the Development Centre of knowledge about sustainable tourism. Part of it also East Iceland and instead focus on cooperating with the dealt with the development of nature education, which organisations at Nýheimar. The Municipality did not became the focus of the NEED project. The purpose fi nd that it had much in common with neighbouring of NEED was to develop better ways of utilising municipalities to the east and has instead cooperated national parks for educational purposes and to provide with municipalities further away in some cases. This was material for the development of education programs in illustrated by a project with a municipality in the north sustainable tourism geared towards the local population. of Iceland on how to attract tourists during the winter. In Iceland, all eight municipalities which have territory For the fi rst years, the Research Centre had one in the national park were involved in the project. The employee. With the additional funding given to the collaboration was organised by establishing fi ve semi- centre for a period of two and a half years starting in independent networks with core partners in each of the 2006, from the Ministry of Education, Science and fi ve areas. Culture, to remedy the collapse in cod fi sheries, the Both NPP projects involved private tourist fi rms centre was able to employ six staff. However, with the in the area, who contributed with their time, rather than onset of the fi nancial crisis, the centre was forced to direct co-fi nancing. As part of the NEST project, the cut back and now it has only three employees. Later in research centre introduced a grant scheme to interested 2011, this could dwindle to, the Director and a senior fi rms and individuals. This involved applications in researcher. According to the director of the centre, which fi rms and individuals described their plans, it is currently trapped in a situation where the base expected outcome, costs and the costs they were willing funding from UI and the municipality is being reduced, to cover themselves. Initiatives that were carried out as while projects fi nanced by public authorities have been part of NEED included a fi rm that received guidance in reduced signifi cantly, competition to win projects has developing material for guided tours about the geology increased and the internal resources to apply for projects of a specifi c area and a fi rm that received help in have been reduced. developing signposts about the geology of an area. The The character of research and development fi rms in the area are typically small family businesses projects that the research centre has been involved that mainly operate during the summer and thus do not with have mainly been reactive to the circumstances in have suffi cient funds to invest in the projects. However, the area. An initiative which the centre has worked on as part of the NPP project, the local tourism fi rms involves the establishment of a cluster of tourism, food showed an interest in collaborating with the research and culture organisations and fi rms in the municipality. centre. Efforts at fostering the cluster were initiated in 2006 The research centre in Höfn is mainly, as the by the municipality and the Innovation Centre. At the name indicates, a research centre. However, the director time, the current director of the research centre started also works as a supervisor for Masters and PhD his position and became involved in the process of students at UI. These students are based in Reykjavik, developing it. Currently, approximately 80 persons are but in a few cases they work on projects related to the

20 NORDREGIO WORKING PAPER 2012:3 area of Hornafjördur. The director has also supervised As of early 2011, the municipality and the two persons, who lived in the area and worked as organisations at Nýheimar are working on the secondary school teachers, who got Master’s Degrees development of a strategy for the coming years. A main through distance learning facilities, which are based in focus area is to develop ‘creative industries’ in the area the building of Nýheimar. The distance learning facility and the research centre will have an important role in this. is part of a national network of such facilities run by an Talks have been initiated with the design department at organisation responsible for adult education in Iceland. UI about developing an education programme together, The facilities are used for both secondary and tertiary which would be run partly from Hornafjördur and education and are used by UI as well as other higher partly from Reykjavík. However, discussions about this education institutions in the country. The organisation are in an initial phase and so far no formal agreement in Nýheimar is run by two persons who work with the has been made on the development of an education promotion of adult education and serve as guidance programme (Vignisson; Árnasson, interviews). counsellors.

The role of the University of Iceland in regional development

Overall, the University of Iceland does not have a strong on this, and stating that the fact that he and his wife tradition for collaborating with the surrounding society. bought a house in the area and that they are both active Efforts by university management were initiated to in the local community has been signifi cant gaining the introduce incentives for researchers to engage in R&D trust of the local population. In rural areas, traditionally projects in cooperation with business and society in the dominated by agriculture and fi sheries, there is a lot of strategy introduced in 2006. However, with the onset of mistrust of university employees, a factor with historical the fi nancial crisis, the university abandoned these plans. ties, whereby people joined the upper class when The fi nancial crisis has highly restricted the development they gained a university degree. Dispelling myths and of the University of Iceland in general, also concerning communicating with and gaining the trust of the local initiatives to cooperate with the surrounding society. inhabitants took time, but now the centre has become a The regional research centres, which were established in more established part of the community. the rural areas, were at risk of being closed down when According to the director, the research the university underwent severe budget cuts, and it was centre makes the biggest difference in regards to its mainly due to strong objections from the municipalities collaboration with the cluster and with Hornafjördur involved and representatives in Parliament that the Municipality. It is not possible to establish, for example, research centres remained. The centres have different that new jobs have been developed in the region as a focus areas, and to varying extents there is collaboration result of the activities of the centre. In connection with between researchers and the surrounding society. The this, the of Hornafjördur Municipality states that impact of the research centre in Hornafjördur has been an important way in which the area has learned from pointed out as a particularly good example (Jónsson, the centre is in the sense that it places focus on quality interview). of life, emphasising that development is not only about According to a study by Nielsen (2010), the number of people living in the area, but about other public organisations in the municipality of improving the quality of life of those who live there, Hornafjördur, such as the local Innovation Centre, for example. He argues that the quality of life of the have stated that the research centre has strengthened inhabitants of the area has increased with the presence the local economy. The presence of the centre means of the centre in the area. The research centre has made that other actors involved in the cluster have gained a particular difference with regards to the tourism access to knowledge and are able to receive advice industry, where products such as bird watching and the from the employees at the research centre. Moreover, integration of geological aspects in tourism have been the external knowledge and links that were fostered developed (Vignisson, interview). through the NPP projects are seen as highly valuable Overall, one can derive that the projects by other organisations at Nýheimar. It was stressed that undertaken by the research centre have generated the fact that the centre is based in the area, and not innovation and development in tourism fi rms in the run from Reykjavik, is highly signifi cant. The director area, and that the presence of the University of Iceland of the research centre (Árnasson, interview) elaborated Regional Research Centre in the area is regarded as

NORDREGIO WORKING PAPER 2012:3 21 signifi cant by local stakeholders. Interviews Árnason, Thorvardur, Director, Hörnafjordur Rural Research Centre. Telephone interview, 3 February 2011. References Benediktson, Jón Atli, Pro-rector of Academic Affairs, Nielsen, H. (2010) Universities in Regional Systems of University of Iceland. Reykjavik, 17 January 2011. Innovation: Has the Rural Research Center in Höfn Enhanced Huijbens, Edward H., Director, Icelandic Tourism the Interaction between the University and Local Actors? Research Centre. Akureyri, 19 January 2011. Master’s thesis. CIRCLE, Lund University. Jónsson, Halldór, Director of Research Affairs, Regional development plan 2006-2009 (2006) University of Iceland. Reykjavik, 17 January 2011. (Byggðastofnun, 2006. Byggðaáætlun fyrir árin 2006- Ólafsson, Rögnvaldur, Managing Director, University 2009) hhtp://www.byggdastofnun.is of Iceland Regional Research Centres. Reykjavik, 17 Statistcs Iceland http://www.statice.is/Statistics/ January 2011. Population/Municipalities Vignisson, Hjalti Thor, Mayor, Hornafjördur University of Iceland (2006) Policy 2006-2011: http:// Municipality. Telephone interview, 15 March 2011. www.hi.is/en/strategy/strategy_2006_2011 University of Iceland (2011) Policy 2011-2016: http:// www.hi.is/fi les/afmaeliforsida/policy_2011-2016.pdf University of Iceland Study Centres (2011): http:// www.hi.is/en/study_centres

22 NORDREGIO WORKING PAPER 2012:3 University of Nordland (UiN)

Written by Lise Smed Olsen, Nordregio

The County of Nordland

The County of Nordland, located on the west coast, creation in tourism in the County of Nordland, the covers 25 per cent of the Norwegian coast line, and profi ts of the tourism fi rms are generally low. Finally, an area of 38.456 km². It comprises 44 municipalities the archipelago of Vesterålen, based north of , ( Fylkeskommune, 2011). In 2010, the county is oriented around aquaculture and construction. It has had 236 271 inhabitants. Population density was low (7 lost a high number of jobs in sales and services, and has person per km2) and population growth between 2005 a weaker development in the tourism sector compared and 2010 was negative (Lindqvist, 2010). to Lofoten (Bullvåg, 2011). Traditionally, the manufacturing industry has The administration of the County of Nordland been most dominant in Nordland. However, within is based in Bodø. The regional development department the fi ve main parts of the County of Nordland, there at the county is responsible for the county’s overall are variations in the business structure. The region of planning strategy and its development programme. has the largest town of the county, Bodø, with The strategies are produced in cooperation with approximately 46 000 inhabitants and is also home relevant stakeholders through Partnership Nordland, to the University of Nordland. Bodø is the centre of which is made up of representatives from the seven service production, which is of great importance to the regional councils; the labour market association DA rest of the county. The region of has the Bodø; University of Nordland, University highest export rate in the county and has experienced College, and University College; Innovation increased activity in petroleum related industries, Norway, SIVA, the Research Council of Norway, and mining, and merchandising, in contrast with a decline the Sami Parliament. The Development Programme in employment in the manufacturing and construction 2008-2011 is the action plan for the county’s planning sectors. is based in Helgeland. strategy. The programme has four overall focus areas: The region of , where Narvik University College competences; innovation and entrepreneurship; region is based, has experienced growth in the production of building; and infrastructure. Within the focus area of solar cells and exports of ore. However, it has low innovation and entrepreneurship, tourism is listed as growth in the areas of merchandising and services. The one of the targeted industries during the period, with a archipelago Lofoten is a popular tourist destination, specifi c focus on experiences, destination development, and is dominated by smaller fi rms operating in the competence development and cooperation (Nordland industry. While Lofoten has the strongest level of job Fylkeskommune, 2008).

Presentation of University of Nordland

The University of Nordland’s designation as a university signifi cantly. In 1994, 2 967 students were registered is a recent development that went in to force on 1 at the university college, a number that had increased January 2011. Since 1994, when it was established after to 5 052 students by the end of 2008. Moreover, from a merger between the Regional College of Nordland, 2007 to 2008 Bodø University College had the largest Bodø Teacher’s College, and the Nursing College of average increase of students in Norway of approx. 20 Nordland, the HEI had been known as Bodø University per cent (Høgskolen i Bodø, 2009, p.10). A majority College. During the period 1994-2009 the number of the students at the university, approximately 80 per of students at Bodø University College increased cent, are from Northern Norway, while the rest of

NORDREGIO WORKING PAPER 2012:3 23 the students are international and from other parts of should be implemented. Today, the University of Norway (Pedersen, interview). Nordland has the authority to make such decisions on University of Nordland has four faculties under its own, and only needs approval from the University which doctorate programmes have been developed Board before implementing a new programme. In and initiated in preparation of the university college practice, this means that a decision to initiate a new achieving university status. Thus, PhD programmes, programme can be processed within one week instead which are now offered at the University of Nordland of six months (Pedersen, interview). are PhD in Business at Bodø Graduate School of Business; PhD in sociology at The Faculty of Social Sciences; PhD in professional practice studies at the Development strategies Faculty of Professional Studies; and a PhD programme The University of Nordland has a Strategy for in aquaculture at The Faculty of Biosciences and Internationalisation 2009-2012, which has a main Aquaculture. The PhD programmes were approved focus area of cooperation with Russian universities. by the Norwegian Agency for Quality Assurance in This has been a priority of the HEI since the 1990s, Education (NOKUT) at different stages between 2000 when cooperation was fi rst initiated through Nordland and 2009 (ibid. p.11-12). County, which established a ‘friendship’ agreement The main campus of the university is based in with a region in proximity to St. Petersburg. The HEI Bodø, but some programmes are also offered in Mo i was encouraged by the County to fi nd collaboration Rana in the region of Helgeland and in in partners in the region, and developed an agreement the region of Vesterålen (ibid.). with Baltic State Technical University, which wanted A main purpose of the University of Nordland to develop a business school programme. Researchers is to offer education programmes that are needed from the Bodø Graduate School of Business became in the county. A signifi cant forum for discussion on involved in the process of developing an education education programmes with regional stakeholders programme. For a number of years the Russian students is Partnership Nordland, an organization that has gained their bachelor’s degree in , after which regular meetings and discussions concerning the they came to Bodø to complete a master’s programme. development of strategies. It would seem that regional Today the institutions have a common master’s and stakeholders also regard the HEI as signifi cant in the PhD programme that is run in both places. In 1997, county, something that is refl ected in the donations there were initiatives from the national level in Norway that have been given to the HEI, to, amongst other to strengthen cooperation with areas in the Northern things, provide funding for fellowships and post- Barents region and based on the experience already docs, from actors such as oil companies based in the gained in Russia, Bodø University College initiated county, regional banks, and Nordland County. The collaboration with universities in Murmansk, Archangel Rector mentions the example of the regional branch and Moscow. Cooperation agreements with the four of a national labour market organisation that recently Russian universities involve education programmes in donated 3M NOK to the university on the condition business and in energy management. The priority of the that the university consider how the public sector will University of Nordland in regards to Russia is related to develop in the future in Northern Norway. An approach Northern Norway’s proximity to Russia and to further to meeting this requirement will be, for example, to host the relationship with the country is an increasing seminars with the purpose of stimulating students to political focus area in Norway (Pedersen, interview). work with issues in the public sector. Donations from Also comprising Russia, the circumpolar region regional stakeholders have been highly important for is a strategic focus area of the University of Nordland. the development of the HEI towards becoming a Student exchange programmes are in place with university, but it is also stressed that it is signifi cant to universities in Canada and the United States. Moreover, ensure that there is a balance between the development it is a member of University of the Arctic, a coalition of of academia and meeting the expectations of regional universities in the circumpolar region. A regional offi ce stakeholders. For instance, the research that is carried of University of the Arctic is based at the University out should not become too guided by the expectations of Nordland and coordinates the responsibility of of regional stakeholders (Pedersen, interview). activities in Northwest Russia, the Nordic countries, and A concrete way in which the HEI benefi ts from its in Greenland. The fi rst common bachelor programme newly achieved status as university is that it is now more of the University of the Arctic was run in Bodø. This independent in terms of implementing new education university collaboration is to a high extent virtual and programmes. Previously, as a university college, it was long distance education tools are utilised in order necessary to submit an application to NOKUT, which for students across the circumpolar region, as well as would then assess whether the programme in question outside, to be able to ‘attend’ lectures and complete

24 NORDREGIO WORKING PAPER 2012:3 education programmes online (ibid.). faculties of calls for tenders, and to assist with the The University of Nordland has the aim to application process. An EU-unit has been set up within increase its share of external funding for research, the offi ce, which focuses on assisting the researchers especially focusing on funding from EU programmes with establishing contacts and writing applications for and the Norwegian Research Council. In 2007 and EU-programmes. This is an element which is being 2008, the share of external funding for R&D activities further developed at the university, where for several was between eight and nine per cent of the total years, the strategic focus has been on developing master’s operating income of the HEI. An important element and doctorate programmes to a greater extent, rather towards achieving a greater degree of external fi nancing than on engaging in externally funded R&D projects has been the recently established study and research (Høgskolen i Bodø, 2009, p.42; Pedersen, interview). administration offi ce, which has the task to inform

Collaboration with the surrounding society

The University of Nordland does not have a formal To meet this balance, the national incentives written strategy for cooperation with the surrounding mentioned above make a difference. In relation to society in the county, but a strategy is currently being cooperating with the surrounding society, Nordland developed. In regards to the requirement of the Research Institute is a signifi cant partner. Ministry of Education and Research for HEIs to establish councils for cooperation with the business community in 2011, the University of Nordland plans Nordland Research Institute to utilise Partnership Nordland, as introduced above, It is signifi cant to include Nordland Research Institute for this purpose. The partnership includes the actors in this study, especially due to its efforts at engaging which are required by the Ministry, with the exception with the surrounding society. It was established in of a student representative. A process has however 1979 as a foundation owned by Nordland County and been initiated to include a student in the council as well. other stakeholders. The County was a main actor in The university (and previously the university establishing the institute, and it was expected that it college) carries out some projects in cooperation would deal with applied research that would benefi t the with private fi rms based in the county. Incentives by region. The institute is fi nanced with an approximate Innovation Norway and SkatteFUNN by the Norwegian annual division of 10 per cent core funding, 15 per cent Research Council make it attractive for fi rms to apply regional funding, 5-10 per cent EU-funding and the for R&D projects in cooperation with the HEI. In remaining are funds awarded at national level, mainly such arrangements, fi rms often seek assistance from through the Norwegian Research Council (Alsos, Knowledge Park Bodø AS, which has been established interview). by the business community, Nordland County, and From the beginning, it was stressed that the SIVA. The knowledge park provides advisory services research institute would cooperate with the HEI and assists with the development of applications by in Bodø and it is based in the same building as the private fi rms for R&D projects. Generally, there is a business school. In 1997, new national legislation meant positive attitude among researchers at the University that Bodø University College and Nordland Research for collaborating with fi rms, but a signifi cant selection Institute would be able to compete for the same research criterion is whether a project will feed into the academic projects, and this created some tension between the careers of individual researchers. Thus, in order to accept institutions. Finally, after years of discussions, on 1 a collaborative project with one or more private fi rms, a January 2010 Nordland Research Institute was registered researcher will need to fi nd that it feeds into subsequent as a limited company of which 51 per cent is owned by academic publication. The Rector summarises this the University of Nordland and 49 per cent is owned concern in his view on how the university should by the foundation. As it is now majority shareholder, balance its role of being a strong regional player while at this has provided the university with a more formal the same time being a signifi cant player in international role in relation with the research institute. The Director academia: of Nordland Research Institute is now a part of the “We are at our strongest and best when we manage to do university’s management group and it is possible for the both, to always think that what we do locally need to maintain a institutions to promote synergies and keep each other level which meets the standards which have been set nationally and updated on which projects are being applied for, as well internationally.” (Pedersen, interview). as other relevant issues (Pedersen; Alsos, interviews).

NORDREGIO WORKING PAPER 2012:3 25 Collaboration within the area of tourism the Norwegian Research Council (see national overview) Tourism has always been an important and prioritised is organised in different ways. In Nordland, overall sector in Nordland, but it became a more important focus project management is based at the county, and each area for the county during the 2000s. This happened in sub-project is run by a relevant knowledge institution. part due to the work towards establishing a common The tourism project is managed by Nordland Research destination management organisation for Northern Institute, through which Bodø Graduate School of Norway, comprising the counties of Finnmark, Troms, Business is also involved. Researchers from the business and Nordland. In 2009, the Northern Norway Tourist school participate and also manage some projects in Board was established through a merger of previous the VRI tourism project. An overall focus of both the regional tourist boards. It is funded through the three Arena and VRI projects is the increasing importance of counties, the state, and different forms of income from experiences in tourism (Alsos, interview). business. Thus, tourism became what is referred to as a A number of activities and projects have been northern area priority in the county, and it increasingly carried out within the framework of the two projects. became a focus area in its development strategy. During An early initiative was a foresight exercise that was the 2000s, Nordland Research Institute was approached carried out with the intention to use the process to form by actors at the county who wanted to know more a common understanding of the driving forces which about how to develop the tourism industry. At this time, experience companies and the cluster should meet. a few researchers at the School of Business and at the The foresight exercise took place through three two- research institute had to a limited extent worked with day seminars that brought together fi rms, the project tourism research (Kristensen; Alsos, interviews). management and researchers in a dialogue process. This As part of the Arena programme run by was a signifi cant starting point for the activities where Innovation Norway in cooperation with SIVA and the the different actors were introduced to each other and Norwegian Research Council (see national overview), initiated cooperation (Finstad et al, 2009). To a large the project Arena – Innovative Experiences was established extent, the activities of Arena and VRI involve network in Nordland in the summer of 2008. The project is meetings, seminars, and study trips, with a focus on geographically focused on the archipelago of Lofoten, competence development, understanding common but also includes Vesterålen, Ofoten and Salten, and framework conditions, and internationalisation and involves approximately 30 tourism fi rms. The project market development. An example of an activity run manager of the fi ve year Arena project is the private by the research institute and the business school was consultancy Mimir AS; the institution with overall the development of models for pricing of experiences, responsibility for the project is Northern Norway evaluating how to price different types of experiences Tourist Board; and the knowledge institution involved in cooperation with the fi rms. The manager of a in the project is Nordland Research Institute. The fi rm involved stated that he received advice from a fi rms involved were selected by Innovation Norway in researcher at the Business School, who looked through cooperation with the project manager, who recruited his business plan. This helped him focus the activities the fi rms to participate in the cluster project. The fi rms of the fi rm. Moreover, he stressed the usefulness of the were selected based on an evaluation of their potential pricing project (Hov; Alsos, interviews). to succeed and to increase value creation. A vision An important element of the VRI project is defi ned by the fi rms in the cluster Arena – Innovative that there is a proactive approach to dealing with the Experiences for their development is: “Together we will issues of individual fi rms and bringing together fi rms excite our guests with world class experience products”. This and researchers. As stated by the previous Director of involves developing experiences in nature, culture, and Nordland Research Institute, who was in the steering food which will attract selective tourists. Over the long group of the VRI project: term, the cluster aims to become a leading environment “If the project management sees that there is a fi rm which in Norway in experience production and within a fi ve has challenges, they try to fi nd people at the university or research year period, the fi rms have set the objective to double centre who knows something about this, and they try to link them their turnover (Innovative opplevelser, 2011). together. This is very important since they would never have met The Arena project has become highly intertwined otherwise.” (Alsos, interview). with the VRI project, which was also initiated in 2008 Within the framework of the VRI-project, some and coordinated its activities with the Arena network. development projects are carried out with individual The VRI project was fi rst run during the period 2008- fi rms, while others involve several fi rms. The manager 2010 and it is currently operating for the period 2011- of a golf centre stated that although networking is 2013. The project has three sub-projects, focusing on the useful, he also sees opportunities in cooperating with main strengths of the county, one of which is tourism. the knowledge institutions on issues which concern Across the country, the VRI programme launched by only his business, such as future plans to develop new

26 NORDREGIO WORKING PAPER 2012:3 products and reach new markets (Hov, interview). community and that it is signifi cant that the knowledge Interviewees stated that the VRI project in institutes also have a central role in the management of particular has been important in terms of encouraging the sub-projects. The development initiated, whereby R&D in the tourism sector, which has not traditionally researchers increasingly see the benefi ts of cooperating cooperated with knowledge institutions. The fi rms with business, and vice versa, would not have happened were generally positive towards the project and the without the support of the VRI project and in the overall focus area of developing experiences. Over case of tourism, the support of the Arena project time, bridges have been built between tourism fi rms (Mariussen; Alsos; Wiggen, interviews). and researchers. Related to this, it is noteworthy that The activities of Nordland Research Institute the fi rms were ‘hand-picked’ by Innovation Norway and Bodø Graduate School of Business at the and had a wish to develop further. In the current period University of Nordland in the Arena and VRI projects of the VRI project, it has been decided in the county have infl uenced the development of other initiatives that tourism activities should be spread to the region of within tourism research. The two institutions are Helgeland in the south of Nordland. There is no Arena project managers for an ongoing research project project in this area. While the area has potential as a in cooperation with other knowledge institutes tourist destination in terms of nature; there is less of a in northern Norway called Northern Insights tradition for cooperation between fi rms in the area, and , which is fi nanced by the Norwegian Research Council the industry is dominated by one-person businesses. It with a budget of 50M NOK for a period of fi ve years. has been necessary to employ two competence brokers Moreover, partly with the help of a pre-study carried in Helgeland to initiate contact with fi rms and get them out with funding from the VRI project, in November involved in the project. They are employed at business 2011 the OVE centre will be established at Nordland support organisations in the area. Here, the process of Research Institute, run in cooperation with the University promoting engagement amongst fi rms to cooperate of Nordland. The idea of the centre is to gather the with knowledge institutes is more diffi cult and knowledge which is generated in tourism research in a currently, the process is focused on dialogue meetings ‘knowledge bank’ that will primarily be a virtual centre, and other mobilising activities. A requirement for fi rms where researchers, fi rms and other interested parties to join VRI activities is that they wish to develop their can contact Nordland Research Institute. It will also business further (Wiggen; Alsos; Mariussen; Kristensen, involve seminars that bring actors together. Initially, interviews). the OVE-centre is focused on the research activities in Interviewees agreed that the VRI project, Northern Norway with the on-going VRI and Northern funded by the Norwegian Research Council, has Insight projects, but eventually, it is intended to include been highly signifi cant in terms of encouraging research from the entire country (Wiggen, interview). research environments to cooperate with the business

The role of UiN in regional development

There is a focus on the relevance of education donations are expectations to what the university will programmes offered at the University of Nordland in the deliver to its surrounding community. A challenge is to county. Partnership Nordland, in which the University balance such expectations with being an internationally and Nordland County are represented, amongst recognised university. others, is a forum for discussing the development of Nordland Research Institute was established with education programmes, regional development strategies Nordland County as a main driving force behind it, also and other issues. This partnership will be used in the for the purpose of partly working with research which future formalised council for cooperation with the was relevant to the county. Moreover, the research business community, which in accordance with national institute was based at the university to encourage guidelines, will be established at the University of cooperation between the institutions. Nordland. While cooperation with other economic A certain level of commitment from public and sectors in the county exists, this study has focused on private actors in the county has been evident in relation cooperation initiatives with the tourism industry in with the HEI’s work towards becoming a university. Nordland. In part, initiatives in the area of tourism were The University has received and continues to receive initiated by the research institute due to growing interest donations which have been important in terms of in developing the industry from Nordland County. The gaining university status. Meanwhile, attached to the national Arena and VRI programmes were signifi cant

NORDREGIO WORKING PAPER 2012:3 27 for ensuring the funding that was needed to initiate Interviews research and development activities with tourism Alsos, Gry, Associate Professor, Bodø Graduate School fi rms. The activities focused on experiences in tourism of Business, University of Nordland, (Nordland and it involved Nordland Research Centre as well as Research Institute, Director 2007-2011), 21 September Bodø Graduate School of Business. One initiative 2011. was a project that discussed how to accurately price Hov, Frode, Part owner and Manager of Lofoten Golf, experiences. Activities have generally been focused (Arena/VRI projects), 20 September 2011. on competence development and building networks, Kristensen, Karin, Project Manager of the VRI-project, in addition to support innovation and growth of the Nordland County, 20 September 2011. fi rms. In connection with this, the fi rms in the tourism Mariussen, Åge, Project Manager, VRI research project, industry have been found to generally have a low 20 September 2011. turnover in their business. Pedersen, Pål, Rector, University of Nordland, 21 The VRI project has provided incentives September 2011. for researchers to become involved in research and Wiggen, Oddny, Project Manager of the VRI project – development activities in the tourism industry and has tourism (2011-2013), Nordland Research Institute, 19 fostered links between research and fi rms in a sector September 2011. that has not traditionally cooperated with knowledge institutions. The VRI and Arena project have generated further tourism projects run by Nordland Research Institute and the University of Nordland, indicating a continued focus on R&D in the tourism sector. In regards to R&D cooperation that is taking place with the HEI and the research institute, it is notable that national funding opportunities are considered important and are being utilised, the VRI programme in particular, but also the SkatteFUNN opportunity have been stressed as an important incentive for both fi rms and knowledge institutions to collaborate.

References Bullvåg, E. (2011) Indeks Nordland 2011. Kunnskapsparken Bodø AS. Finstad, N.; Madsen, E. L.; Lindeløv, B.; Ljunggren, E.; Løvland, J.; Mariussen, Å. (2009) Rapport Del 1 fra Forskerprojektet i VRI Nordland. Innovasjon gjennom samhandling: en komparativ studie av næringsklyngene i VRI Nordland. Nordland Research Institute. Høgskolen i Bodø (2009) Universitetet i Nordland: søknad om akkreditering av høgskolen i Bodø som universitet. Innovative opplevelser (2011): http://www. innovativeopplevelser.no/index.php?c=15&kat=Om+ Arena+Innovative+Opplevelser Nordlands Fylkeskommune (2008) Utviklingsprogram Nordland 2008-2011 – Vekstfylket som griper mulighetene. Nordlands Fylkeskommune (2011): http://www.nfk. no/artikkel.aspx?MId1=1751&AId=10672

28 NORDREGIO WORKING PAPER 2012:3 University of Tromsø (UiT)

Written by Peter Arbo, University of Tromsø

The region of Northern Norway

For more than forty years, the University of Tromsø and development, upper secondary education, transport (UiT) was the only university in Northern Norway. Even and communications. though the former Bodø University College recently During the last century, the region transformed attained university status (University of Nordland), from what was basically a pre-industrial society to a UiT still regards the whole of Northern Norway as its post-industrial society. Historically, the economy of relevant region. This region, covering an area of 113 Northern Norway was dominated by households making 000 km2 or 35 per cent of the mainland’s territory, has a living from a combination of fi sheries and small-scale 470 000 inhabitants or 9.5 per cent of the national total. agriculture. After WWII, rapid industrialisation took Northern Norway is culturally and ethnically rich, with place mainly based on the exploitation of the region’s people of Norwegian, Sami and Finnish origins, and in natural resources (fi sh, hydroelectric power, metals and recent years, a steadily increasing number of immigrants minerals). In recent decades, aquaculture and oil and from around the globe. The largest cities are Tromsø, gas production have also become important economic Bodø and with 69 000, 48 000 and 26 000 activities; but today, four out of fi ve people are employed inhabitants, respectively. in service industries. In terms of government, Northern Norway This shift in the structure of industries and consists of three counties (Nordland, Troms and occupations has been accompanied by a shift in the Finnmark) and 88 municipalities. Offi cials from both pattern of settlement. People have moved from rural to levels are democratically elected. Nordland is the urban areas and there has been a net outmigration to other largest of the three counties, with about half of the parts of the country. Nevertheless, Northern Norway region’s population, followed by Troms (34 percent) still has a more decentralised settlement structure than, and Finnmark (15 percent). Of the 88 municipalities, for example, the northern parts of Sweden and Finland. 56 have less than 3 000 inhabitants and 11 have less This is due to the vitality of the coastal industries, a high than 1 000. The municipalities, irrespective of size, are rate of public sector employment and large government in charge of all basic public services, while the county transfers made possible by oil and gas revenues. authorities are mainly responsible for regional planning

Presentation of University of Tromsø

The University of Tromsø was founded in 1968 as The regional mission was evident (Arbo and Norway’s fourth university. When the Parliament made Fulsås 2002). The main aims of establishing a university this decision, it was clearly expressed that the university in Tromsø were to extend equal rights to higher should become a fi rst-rank national institution and not education and to give the modern welfare state a solid a second-rank regional university. After WWII, the footing in the region. In the late 1960s, the lack of government put great efforts into developing Northern doctors, teachers and other groups of professionals in Norway, a region considered to be the most backward Northern Norway had become an issue of great public and underdeveloped part of the country. As a result, concern. It was assumed that by giving young people in the region experienced rapid modernisation and this the north an opportunity to study in their home region, process was to be “crowned” with the creation of an it would strengthen the supply of highly qualifi ed academic institution. labour and secure the development of the welfare state.

NORDREGIO WORKING PAPER 2012:3 29 The establishment of a medical school was therefore relocation of the Norwegian Polar Institute from an integral part of the university decision. It was also to Tromsø. The campaign was successful and the two expected that the new university would specialise in institutions have since enjoyed close collaboration. academic fi elds refl ecting the characteristics of the During the last fi fteen years, UiT has tried to profi le region, such as fi sheries, northern lights research and itself as an Arctic- oriented institution. This focus was Sami studies. enhanced in 2005, when the Norwegian government From the outset, the ambition was to create a new launched its High North policy, maintaining that the and different university in Tromsø. Study programmes High North is the government’s top strategic priority. should be interdisciplinary, regionally relevant and The Arctic profi le is refl ected in a number of study problem-oriented. Instead of the traditional faculty programmes and research areas at UiT, including organisation, UiT was organised by departments. The marine research, environmental research, research on governance structure was democratic, with students governance systems and indigenous studies. In 2009, and non-academic staff receiving a position in all the University of Tromsø and the Tromsø University decision-making bodies. UiT was established in a College merged. This was the fi rst time in Norway that a period marked by political radicalisation and regional university and a university college amalgamated, forming mobilisation, something that left its imprint on the one institution. The decision was meant to strengthen university. While the main emphasis was laid on the Tromsø’s position in the competition for students and university’s educational function and the provision of must be seen in light of the fact that the principle highly skilled candidates for public sector jobs, many difference between universities and university colleges students and professors also opposed the centralising was dismantled by the Quality Reform in 2003. From effects of government policies and wanted to serve as then on, all university colleges could become universities, a kind of “counter-expertise” on behalf of the small provided they were able to offer fi ve Master’s degree rural communities in Northern Norway. As a result, programmes and four PhD programmes. This set off a UiT soon acquired the reputation of being “the red race for university status among the university colleges. university”. During the 1980s and the fi rst half of the 1990s, UiT gradually lost its image of being an alternative Facts and fi gures university. The study programmes were restructured As of 2011, UiT has approximately 9 000 students and along disciplinary or professional lines, a faculty model a staff of 2 500 people. The annual budget is about was introduced, and the use of departmental-wide 2 300M NOK, of which nearly 80 per cent is funded meetings became less frequent. This meant that UiT by the government and the rest comes from other increasingly resembled traditional universities. This sources. The university is organised into six broad reorientation was resulted from several factors: the faculties: Health Sciences; Humanities, Social Sciences, growth of the university; the weakening of the students’ and Education; Biosciences, Fisheries and Economics; radical movement; increasing competition from new Natural Sciences and Technology; Law; and Fine Arts. regional colleges; the necessity for recognition from peer In total, these faculties offer more than 150 Bachelor’s academic institutions; and new government legislation. and Master’s degree programmes, and about 2 150 At the same time, there was a general change in the individual courses. UiT graduates more than 100 PhD way the universities were interpreted in Norway. In the students every year. Further, there are a number of aftermath of the international economic downturn in organisational units placed directly under the University the 1970s, innovation and industrial renewal became key Board (Tromsø University Museum; Tromsø University government priorities. In this context, the universities Library; Centre for Flexible Education; Centre for Sami stood out as potential engines for knowledge-based Studies; Centre for Women’s and Gender Research, and economic growth. Attention was directed to new the Barents Institute in Kirkenes). The University Board high-tech industries, business creation and technology is headed by an elected rector and has eleven members. transfer. In Tromsø, this led to the establishment of Four of them are external representatives appointed by FORUT, a research institute for contract research, and the Ministry of Education and Research. the establishment of Tromsø Science Park in 1984 and According to UiT’s strategy document for the 1990, respectively. The science park was set up near UiT, period 2009-2013, the vision is to create “a national at the campus area north of the city centre. Although and international powerhouse for expertise, growth and industrial research was strengthened and collaboration innovation in the High North”. It is stressed that UiT with private companies and business associations should act as an “engine of knowledge” in Northern became more common, the core of UiT’s research and Norway, a hub in the government’s High North initiative education was not affected. and an international resource in specialised fi elds. As for In the early 1990s, UiT campaigned for a the regional role, both the strategy document and the

30 NORDREGIO WORKING PAPER 2012:3 accompanying action plan state that UiT should provide owner of Northern Research Institute (Norut, formerly candidates with “good and relevant qualifi cations”, FORUT), which carries out research commissions support R&D that can foster innovation and industrial for industry and government agencies in the fi elds development and strive to become a more prominent of technology, innovation and social sciences. The regional actor and collaborating partner in public and Norut Group has about 120 employees, with research private working life. departments in Tromsø, and Narvik, and a separate unit dedicated to innovation and commercialisation of research (Norinnova). Norinnova includes a business Support structure incubator, a seed capital fund and a technology transfer UiT has no special unit for regional collaboration. offi ce (TTO Nord), established jointly in 2005 by UiT, The responsibility is shared between the University the University Hospital of Northern Norway and the Director’s offi ce, the Centre for Flexible Education Norut Group. The Norut Group is primarily located at (U-vett), Tromsø University Library, Tromsø University the Tromsø Science Park. UiT also has a Career Centre Museum and the faculties. UiT is also the majority- to help students transition from study to work.

Collaboration with the surrounding society

Over the years, the interfaces between UiT and the other. UiT, the University Hospital and the Norut region have been deepened and extended. Since its Group have given rise to more than 60 spin-off inception, about 70 000 people have studied at the companies, of which the bulk are operating in the fi elds university, excluding those who studied at Tromsø of marine biotechnology and ICT, and are located in University College before the merger. UiT’s catchment Tromsø. These companies are important partners area is fi rst and foremost the counties of Troms and with UiT, and serve as bridgeheads to the surrounding Finnmark and the northern part of Nordland, and on business community. Notably, during the last two average the retention rate is high, especially among decades, several new initiatives have been taken to spur students who initially come from Northern Norway. the formation of clusters and triple helix partnerships This means that a signifi cant number of people have (Nilsson 2006). Innovation Norway has introduced, become familiar with the university and its resources. among other things, the Arena and Centres of Expertise Both the former Tromsø University College and UiT programmes and the Research Council of Norway has have been actively engaged in continued education initiated the Centres of Excellence and the Centres of and offer distance learning programmes tailored to the Research-based Innovation frameworks. Recently, the needs of relevant student groups. Research Council set up seven regional research funds As we have seen, UiT has also spearheaded the to bolster investments in R&D and enhance research establishment of new research institutions in Tromsø. for regional innovation and development. The Norut Group was established by the university UiT and the Norut Group have responded to these in collaboration with regional authorities and the government funding initiatives in numerous ways. As all Norwegian Polar Institute was created as the result of institutions of higher education and research nowadays a university-led campaign. Additionally, a number of are looking for additional income; they are also attentive national research institutions have created subsidiaries to new funding opportunities. Nevertheless, regional and set up their own departments in Tromsø. Among collaboration is, to a large extent, the outcome of others, the research community in Tromsø today initiatives driven by enthusiastic individual researchers consists of Nofi ma, the Institute of Marine Research, and research groups. The following section highlights SINTEF, Bioforsk, NGU, NIKU, NILU and NINA. a handful of projects in which UiT has been involved. The University Hospital is also a powerful research institution. Taken all together, UiT and the institutions that have followed in its wake, provide jobs that make The Tromsø Study up a substantial proportion of the local labour market. The Tromsø Study is a medical research project that Since the 1980s, when innovation became a involves a large portion of the local population and political priority, the Norwegian government has has contributed to the improvement of public health. launched a number of research programmes aimed The project was initiated in 1974 to help combat a at leveraging knowledge-based growth and closer high mortality rate due to cardiovascular diseases. In collaboration between higher education and research, the mid-1970s, one out of every fi ve Norwegian men on the one hand and business and industry, on the died of cardiac arrest before the age of 75 and the rate

NORDREGIO WORKING PAPER 2012:3 31 was even higher in Northern Norway. The main aim of is located at the Tromsø Science Park, which is home the Tromsø Study was to determine the reasons for the to excellent laboratory facilities for storage, extraction, high mortality rate due to cardiovascular disease and to fractionation and screening of marine resources. Marbio develop ways of preventing heart attacks and strokes. is the high-throughput analytical platform for the core The studies have been repeated six times since activities, and Marbank, the national marine biobank in 1974. More than 40 000 people – both men and women Tromsø, organises the sampling and produces extracts - have participated. Over the years, the project has for screening. Other advanced instruments are also expanded to include other diseases. Each study has available at the Department of Pharmacy and the been followed up by smaller and more thorough studies Department of Chemistry at UiT. MabCent and its with some of the participants, and people at risk have partners have identifi ed several novel compounds and been given advice or sent for medical treatment. bioactives that have been patented and are now under Data from the Tromsø Study has been used in development. approximately 50 PhD theses and 385 scientifi c articles. Two important discoveries that have arisen from the Tromsø Study are the signifi cance of HDL-cholesterol Tromsø Centre for Remote Technology (”the good cholesterol”) and how coffee increases Tromsø is the “space capital” of Norway. Together with serum cholesterol. The project has been carried out Svalbard, Tromsø has developed advanced infrastructure by the Department of Community Medicine at UiT in and expertise for downloading data from low-altitude collaboration with the Norwegian Institute of Public polar orbiting satellites, widely used for monitoring the Health, the University Hospital of Northern Norway earth. Each orbit takes about 100 minutes, and as the (UNN) and the Tromsø City Council. earth rotates, the entire surface is covered. The best conditions for “communicating” with polar-orbiting satellites are offered at high latitudes. MabCent-SFI Tromsø’s ideal location has attracted a large MabCent is a Centre for Research-based Innovation, space-related research and business community, which established by the Research Council of Norway in can trace its history back to the northern lights research 2007 and hosted by UiT. The purpose of the Centre that started in Tromsø one hundred years ago. Today, for Research-based Innovation (SFI) is to build and it includes UiT, Norut, the Norwegian Polar Institute, strengthen Norwegian research groups that work in close Spacetec, and Kongsberg Satellite Services collaboration with partners from innovative industries (KSAT). Together, these organisations represent and innovative public enterprises. Tromsø was chosen the whole value chain, from research, technology as host for MabCent due to the strong research position development and service delivery to the establishment of UiT in the fi eld of marine biotechnology. and operation of relevant infrastructure. Kongsberg MabCent focuses on marine bioprospecting, a Spacetec is a worldwide provider of complete earth fi eld that includes the search for bio molecules from observation ground stations, while KSAT operates a marine sources in order to identify new and unique network of polar antennas and delivers sophisticated bioactive compounds with potential for further earth observation services. research, innovation and commercialisation. Arctic In 2008, the actors joined forces and created the marine organisms have developed unique biochemical Tromsø Centre for Remote Technology (TRTC). The and physiological properties from having to adapt initiative was undertaken to meet the increasing demand to low temperatures and huge variations in light and for earth observation data and maintain competitiveness seasonal food availability. MabCent concentrates on in the face of stronger international competition. The marine bacteria harvested on the surface of the ice catalyst for cooperation was the ongoing work on the pack or in frozen sediment, marine algae sampled under BarentsWatch initiative, which is the government’s plan different blooming conditions and the rich variety of for comprehensive monitoring and surveillance of the benthic invertebrates found in the Arctic seas. Barents Sea. MabCent is organised as a consortium including Amongst other things, remote satellite sensing several research institutes as well as four commercial is used for monitoring the polar ice and seaways, partners. The partners are Biotec Pharmacon, Lytix environmental and climate change, illegal fi shing, oil Biopharma, Pronova BioPharma and Arctic Bioscience, spills and pollution control, search and rescue operations. of which the fi rst three are spin-off companies from UiT. TRTC will deliver future services to BarentsWatch, such The consortium covers the spectrum from the biology as satellite images. TRTC has also set up the Barents of marine resources through screening and research Remote Sensing School and has created the Forum for on bioactives to the commercialisation of drugs and Remote Technology to broaden the centre’s network biotechnological and nutraceutical products. MabCent base. Collaborating partners are, among others, Andøya

32 NORDREGIO WORKING PAPER 2012:3 Rocket Range, Natech and Narvik University College. The World Opera Norut is also working with unmanned aerial systems This project was initiated in 2006 by a professor in (UAS). These drones can be used to monitor, for Documentation Studies, Niels Windfeld Lund, at the example, ash from volcanic eruptions or surveillance University of Tromsø. Lund had, for many years, done of land and sea areas. Together with Troms Kraft and research on libraries and general document theory. Andøya Rocket Range, Norut has established the mini Combining his private interest in opera with the insights aircraft company Aranica. he acquired during a research project on electronic healthcare, he came up with the idea of the World Opera project. The aim of the project is to create a worldwide Tromsø Telemedicine Laboratory distributed opera stage with performers in multiple Another fi eld of regional collaboration is telemedicine. locations, making one coherent opera performance Dispersed settlements, the great distances and the together for audiences at multiple sites. shortage of medical specialists in Northern Norway made Lund obtained a large research grant from the the application of ICT in health services an interesting Research Council of Norway for the VERDIONE prospect. The Norwegian telecommunications project, which is an acronym for Virtually Enhanced administration set up a telemedicine research unit in Real-life synchronized Interaction – ON the Edge. Tromsø in 1987 and in 1993 the Norwegian Centre for The project is developing technology and solutions for Telemedicine was established as a department of the distributed, interactive performances in real-time across University Hospital. The Centre was designated a Centre high-speed, high-performance audio/video networks. for Research-based Innovation (SFI) by the Research The project is managed by the University in Tromsø Council of Norway in 2006. Under the title of Tromsø in collaboration with partners at , Telemedicine Laboratory (TTL), the aim is to develop a McGill University, SIMULA Research, KTH, New world-leading centre for research and innovation in the York University and the companies Bang and Olufsen, fi elds of advanced telemedicine and eHealth systems Projection Design and DPA Microphones. for chronic age and lifestyle related diseases, which will Permanent facilities are now being set up in result in new healthcare products and services. Tromsø, Stockholm and Struer, Denmark, to experiment In addition to the University Hospital and the with the networked stage. Tests have been done, and Norwegian Centre for Telemedicine, TTL involves UiT, a monthly chamber music series will be arranged Telenor R&I, IBM Norway, DIPS, Well Diagnostics, involving actors from the three sites. The World Opera Norut, the Norwegian Health Net and Northern project is also organising live performances directly Norway Regional Health Authority. TTL is focused transmitted from the Metropolitan Opera in New on the development of new tools for collecting, York. This has already taken place for three years, with processing and sharing medical information, i.e. performances distributed to places such as Tromsø, sensor-based systems for vital signs and surveillance, Stockholm, Struer, Montreal and San Francisco. During extended decision-support and computer-supported the spring and autumn semesters, the World Opera collaboration. Current projects include systems for has given people in Tromsø an excellent opportunity detecting and tracking outbreaks of infectious diseases, to enjoy world class performances every second week. home nursing, net-based medication records, context- In the autumn of 2011, even people in Berlevåg, a sensitive mobile communication in hospitals, amongst small remote community in Finnmark, received live others. transmissions.

The role of the University of Tromsø in regional development

UiT has played a major role in the development of and new business ventures; participation in professional Northern Norway. Over the years, the university has and voluntary associations; and joint research projects. gradually become anchored in the region and has acted as UiT has also enriched cultural life and has played a a bridge to the global world of knowledge. Collaboration signifi cant role in highlighting the region’s history and with the surrounding society has developed in a social and natural conditions. myriad of ways, ranging from students’ projects; work There are challenges ahead which must be placements; teaching and lecturing; consulting reports; overcome however. Even though regional collaboration business assistance; board positions; entrepreneurship is a priority in the strategy and action plans of UiT, this

NORDREGIO WORKING PAPER 2012:3 33 is not a central task in the university’s activities, which are number of research-based companies is still fairly weak. concentrated around research and education. Regional This means that the “absorptive capacity” of the region engagement is more or less a secondary effect of the is limited in terms of recruiting university graduates, core functions, though government funding initiatives, utilising research and developing joint projects. UiT to a certain degree, have helped in this regard. UiT has also lacks a clear regional partner on the government no dedicated organisation for regional collaboration, side. Northern Norway consists of three counties, and and there are no special incentives for the researchers for an institution which regards Northern Norway as to take part in regional collaboration initiatives. In the the relevant region, it is not obvious who to collaborate academic system focus is on scientifi c publications and with. In Nordland, there is a close link between the new the production of ECTS credits. Regional engagement University of Nordland and the county of Nordland, is thus a peripheral task within the university. which has strongly supported the university project. There is also a deep-seated suspicion towards But UiT cannot expect or rely on any similar regional such engagement in university circles. In spite of the support. In Troms, the university is more or less taken fact that UiT’s expertise in many fi elds has been built on for granted, while in Nordland and Finnmark the the basis of scientifi c inquiries into natural and social regional authorities protect their own higher education phenomena that are typical for Northern Norway; institutions and try to keep UiT at an arm’s length a number of people believe that there is a confl ict distance. between regional orientation and global aspirations. The Norwegian High North policy and the This became evident during the recent merger process, growing interest in the Arctic region have been benefi cial where key professors at the university did not feel for UiT. The university has actively fostered its Arctic that the knowledge and skills of the staff at Tromsø image, an image that actually goes beyond Northern University College were adequate, which was associated Norway, to the whole circumpolar region. However, the with vocational training for the region. “You cannot demographic prospects are bleak. In the coming years, create a good football team by combining players from the region will see declining youth cohorts (NOU 2008: Champions League with players from the Football 3). There is also a net migration of students from the League Third Division”, as one of them said. Instead region. More young northerners leave the region to of viewing the merger as an invigorating impulse and study elsewhere than the higher education institutions an opportunity for extending the regional role of the of the north are able to attract from outside. Moreover, university, they feared that the merger could result in an in Northern Norway, two universities and fi ve university academic degradation of UiT. colleges will now be fi ghting for students. This indicates Similarly, there is a built-in tension between that recruiting new students and providing highly internal and external functions at the university. In the educated candidates to the regional labour markets 1980s, a new interface was created outside UiT in the might become more diffi cult in the years ahead. form of a separate institute for contract research and The leadership of UiT is well aware of these innovation (today Norut) and the Tromsø Science Park. challenges. The university is currently in a process of This has meant that outreach tasks were externalised. reorganising its centres. As part of this process, UiT At the same time, the academic core was sheltered from is considering how to organise future contact with the external interference. Although UiT is the majority- region. No decision has yet been taken. The Ministry owner of Norut, the division of labour between Norut has also instructed all institutions of higher education to and the university faculties remains unclear. Today, cooperate more closely with neighbouring institutions they are both competing for external funding and to develop a clearer division of labour. Likewise, they collaborating in certain fi elds. The fi nal transfer of TTO have been asked to set up councils for collaboration Nord from UiT to Norinnova, which actually performed with trade and industry. The seven educational parallel tasks, was a diffi cult and long process. The risk institutions in Northern Norway have been selected for is that the Norut Group, UiT’s partner institution, is a pilot project that involves the creation of a joint social not linking UiT up to the region but rather, serves as a contract with partners such as the county authorities, buffer or a barrier. the Confederation of Norwegian Business and Industry, Another challenge is the fact that the basic the Norwegian Confederation of Trade Unions, industries in the north are natural resource-intensive and the Norwegian Association of Local and Regional not knowledge-intensive. The companies in Northern Authorities and the Northern Norway Regional Health Norway are either small or branches of large companies Authority. Time will show if these endeavours will take with their headquarters located outside the region. The regional collaboration to the next level.

34 NORDREGIO WORKING PAPER 2012:3 References Arbo, P & N. Fulsås 2002. “The University of Tromsø”. In: D.C. Nord & G.R. Weller (eds.), Higher Education across the Circumpolar North: A Circle of Learning. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan, pp. 46-62. Fulsås, N. 1993. Universitetet i Tromsø 25 år. Tromsø: Universitetet i Tromsø. Nilsson, J.-E. (ed.) 2006. The Role of Universities in Regional Innovation Systems: A Nordic Perspective. Copenhagen: Copenhagen Business School. NOU 2008: 3 Sett under ett. Ny struktur i høyere utdanning. Norges offentlige utredninger.

NORDREGIO WORKING PAPER 2012:3 35 36 NORDREGIO WORKING PAPER 2012:3 Karlstad University (KaU)

Written by Maria Lindqvist, Nordregio

The County of Värmland

Värmland County is situated in Midwestern Sweden, and telecommunication (ICT) sector expanded rapidly, along the Swedish-Norwegian border. The total land particularly around the dominant fi rm, Sony Ericsson. area is almost 17 600 km2, representing approximately As the company closed down in Karlstad, some areas 4 per cent of Sweden’s land mass. In 2010, Värmland were taken over by TietoEnator; the sector’s dominant had a total population of about 273 000 inhabitants company today. Other ICT-companies are mainly small (2.9 per cent of the national total). The county is made consultancy fi rms. To support the development of the up of 16 municipalities, with Karlstad as the dominant main industries of the regions, four cluster organisations regional centre (about 84 700 inhabitants). There has have been developed and supported by regional actors, practically not been any population change between Compare (ICT); The Paper Province (pulp and paper); 2005 and 2010, but there are large variations between The Packaging Arena (packaging industry); and Steel & municipalities. In Karlstad and the neighbouring Metal Works (mechanical industry). municipality of Hammarö, there has been an annual Region Värmland (RV) is a regional body that increase of around 6-7 per cent based on migration and promotes cooperation. It was established by municipalities natural change, while several small municipalities have and the County Council of Värmland. Region Värmland experience considerable declined. Overall, Värmland is responsible for developing the Regional Development has a population density of 16 persons per km2, Programme (RUP), commissioned by the Swedish which is less than the national average of 23 persons Government. The programme has been developed (Lindqvist, 2010). in close cooperation with the County Administrative Värmland, together with the regions of Board (Länsstyrelsen) and numerous organisations Northern Dalsland and Örebro, has a long tradition and and joint action groups. In 2009, RUP 2009-2013 extensive competence in heavy processing industries, was launched as a platform for long-term planning, such as pulp and paper, manufacturing and mining. In with the objective of achieving sustainable growth. the pulp and paper sector, many suppliers specialising The vision is to be realized by concentrating efforts in services, equipment and machinery, have developed in fi ve areas: Leadership; Innovative Environments; around paper mills and packaging companies. Today, Skills support; Accessibility; and Quality of Life there are more than 230 companies with over 12 500 . An important factor has been collaboration with the employees in the pulp, paper and packaging sector in regional cluster organisations and Karlstad University. the greater region - one of the highest concentrations One example is the ongoing collaboration to develop a of competence in this sector worldwide. During the new cluster strategy for the region. economic boom in the late 1990´s, the information

Presentation of Karlstad University

Karlstad University College was established in 1977 into a university was presented in the development as one of several new university colleges in Sweden programme “Karlstad University”. Ten years later, . Karlstad had previously had a college affi liated to Karlstad University College received university status Gothenburg University, building on a longstanding and became one of the youngest state universities in tradition of teacher training and nursing education Sweden. in the region. In 1989, the ambition to develop

NORDREGIO WORKING PAPER 2012:3 37 Facts and fi gures amounted to 296M SEK. However, the university Following a re-organisation in 2006, Karlstad University has historically had a considerable share of external is made up of four faculties (Economic Sciences, research funding. The largest actors have been the Communication and IT; Technology and Science; EU, the Swedish Research Council (VR), the County Social and Life Sciences; Arts and Education) while Council of Värmland, Region Värmland, the Swedish a collaboration exists among the faculties on teachers Agency for Innovation Systems (VINNOVA) and the education. There are about twenty different research Foundation for Knowledge and Competence (KKS). In centres. The university offers approximately 50 2010, about 28M SEK in funding was attained through Bachelor’s programmes, 30 Master’s level programmes commissioned research and the ambition is to further and 900 courses in about 50 disciplines, including the increase this share. humanities and fi ne arts, social and economic sciences, Distribution of the budget to faculties and natural sciences, engineering and technology, health research centres is decided in an evaluation dialogue care and teacher training. Doctoral degrees are awarded with the rector. To reach the goals concerning quality in 27 disciplines. Karlstad University has approximately and collaboration, a share of the budget for research 12 500 students, 270 doctoral students and a staff of and education is allocated according to performance 1 200 persons (70 per cent faculty). The main campus in these areas. In 2011, this made up 15 per cent of is located outside central Karlstad. In Arvika, about 90 the budget, but the ambition is to increase this share km away, the university has a smaller campus where the . Ingesund School of Music (300 students) is located. The university also has an extensive e-learning programme, with about 25 per cent of the total number of students Development strategies choosing to study via the internet. Still, student In the Research and Education Strategy of Karlstad enrolment in higher education in the region is relatively University 2009-2012, the university is described low and an important challenge for the university is to as a “modern, outreaching university” increase the percentage of students who continue their . A goal is to become the Swedish university that studies, particularly among males. best fulfi ls the role of international competitiveness In 2010, total revenue at Karlstad University in profi le areas and regional-global involvement in amounted to 1 003M SEK. State-funding for basic and the development of society through exchange of advanced education, which is based on the number of knowledge. All education and research is underpinned students and examinations, amounted to 656M SEK, by a close dialogue with private companies and public while funding for commissioned education contributed organisations. The ambition is to balance broad societal an additional 23M SEK. As a new university, Karlstad involvement with high quality research and education. University has had limited access to research funding These four perspectives of the strategy are combined in from the state and public research councils. In 2010, the model below. state-funding for research and doctoral students

38 NORDREGIO WORKING PAPER 2012:3 Figure 3: The Research and Education Strategy of Karlstad University Societal/employer

Translation of knowledge into Education innovation relevant to

work

Teaching Research

Academic World class education academic research

Academic

Source: Karlstad University, and Dr. M.Wedgwood, Manchester Metropolitan University

There is also an ambition to balance state funding for education and research with external funding and to increase international exchange and cooperation. The goal is to ensure high academic quality research with social relevance, without compromising the independence and integrity of research. To become a modern university, Karlstad University students to study abroad and to attract international is using a process oriented approach based on the students. Over time, the number of courses and following priorities, which are followed up by yearly programmes offered in English has increased, and today, quality monitoring. several master programmes and more than 100 courses are offered in English. Karlstad University was also the • Multi-disciplinary research and education fi rst university in Sweden to receive the EU ECTS Label • Mixed funding (2006-2009), an accreditation simplifying the evaluation • International collaboration of educational programmes between countries. • Numerous extensive networks Karlstad University cooperates with many • Societal involvement of employees including universities through the involvement of guest patents, licensing, popular activities and researchers and the exchange of teaching staff and commissioned education and research students. The university has agreements with about • Gender equality 100 universities around the world and is involved in a number of international networks, including the Erasmus programme; the International Student International profi le Exchange Programme (ISEP); the European University The ambition of Karlstad University is to be an active Association (EUA); and the Compostela Group of and important link in the Swedish higher education Universities, a network of over eighty universities system and at the same time, to maintain a strong throughout Europe. It is also involved in a number of regional basis and international outlook. The ambition projects in Erasmus, Leonardo da Vinci, Tempus and is to increase understanding of other cultures and to other European Union programmes and initiatives. strengthen the university’s role in the international knowledge community. Karlstad University aims to provide good opportunities for students and doctoral

NORDREGIO WORKING PAPER 2012:3 39 Support structure higher education institutions in Sweden1. One of To support external collaboration, the university has these innovation offi ces is the “Four Leaf Clover” developed a structure with several different organisations. (Fyrklövern), an interregional collaboration between the Karlstad University Professional Services was founded four universities of Karlstad, Linnaeus, Mid Sweden and in 2005 to facilitate interaction between an academic Örebro. In Karlstad, the innovation offi ce is run by GIO. institution, society and the corporate world through The goal is to stimulate innovation and knowledge based the promotion of lifelong learning among employees growth by supporting commercialisation (e.g. patents of companies and governmental organizations. and licensing), entrepreneurship and the development The company is owned solely by the university and of existing companies. The “Four Leaf Clover” has handles all business transactions, marketing and the identifi ed research areas of particular interest for the transformation of high level academic knowledge into participating universities, such as research on services tailor-made courses. and entrepreneurship – including services innovations; The Grants & Innovation Offi ce (GIO) is a sustainable development; forestry; health and experience recently established organisation with the mission of industry; and production systems and industrial encouraging the commercialisation and exploitation technology. The organisation enjoys broad cooperation (nyttiggörande) of research and education in Karlstad with other innovation supporting actors and networks. University. This includes support for innovation There is also close collaborations with INOVA, among staff with the ambition to develop new the open incubator of Värmland. INOVA is a products, services or companies, as well as expert foundation with a mission to support and develop support in the application for research funding or in business concepts into new companies by providing collaborative projects with external partners. There is counselling, matchmaking, seminars and workshops. a close connection to university research through the Fifty per cent of the funding is provided through innovation coordinators who work in the different the Innovation Bridge Incubator Programme (IBIP). faculties of Karlstad University. Karlstad University is one of the sponsors, together As a result of the Swedish Bill on Research of with the Innovation Bridge, Region Värmland and the 2008, the Swedish government decided to support municipalities of Karlstad and Kristinehamn. the establishment of eight innovation offi ces in

Collaboration with the surrounding society

From the start, collaboration with companies, to interact and support one another4. Cooperation authorities and organisations has been a major task may take place at different levels and in many different for the university. Today, the goal is to become one forms, ranging from trainee teachers helping students of the best universities in Europe regarding external in primary and secondary school with their homework, collaboration. This is expected to be of mutual benefi t students doing their degree projects on specifi c subjects and to enrich both education and research, through the in companies, to tailor-made contract courses and joint exchange of knowledge and experience. In the Vision research projects. 2015 plan, it is stated that Karlstad University has a role External collaboration with students may result in in contributing to regional attractiveness and growth. a link between the university and future employers. There The university should develop in an open dialogue with is a clear ambition at Karlstad University to combine private and public actors and participate actively in the the wishes of the students with the requirements of regional innovation system, as a link to the international the labour market in the development of educational academic community2. programmes. Most students have regular contact with Karlstad University is working to implement the prospective employers, through, for example, student “knowledge triangle”; combining education, research projects, as mentors, during market relation events or and innovation activities3. The university supports the when companies are involved in their study programme. dissemination of innovations and the commercialisation There is also a possibility for employers to recruit via of research results. At the same time, undergraduate the university web and announcement board. and postgraduate education and research are expected Further, most research is carried out in 2 Karlstad University, Vision 2015 conjunction with industry and public sector actors at 31 SwedishKarlstad Government University, Kunskapstriangeln, (2008), Ett lyft för forskningtretton exempel och innovation, 142 SwedishKarlstadwww.kau.se GovernmentUniversity, Vision (2008), 2015 Ett lyft för forskning och innovation, Prop. 2008/09:50; Ministry of Education and Research(2009), 3Prop. Karlstad 2008/09:50; University, Ministry Kunskapstriangeln, of Education tretton and exempel Research(2009), Pressmeddelande: 60 miljoner till innovationskontor på åtta 4Pressmeddelande: www.kau.se 60 miljoner till innovationskontor på åtta universitet, 12 november 2009 universitet, 12 november 2009

40 NORDREGIO WORKING PAPER 2012:3 the regional, national and international level. To meet from other sources, including national agencies, private future demands for sustainable development, a great funds or EU-programmes. deal of the research is multidisciplinary. There is an The following aims for cooperation were ambition to develop leading research fi elds in the identifi ed; region, notably communication and services, pulp, paper and surface treatment, printing technology, • To strengthen the regional business sector through packaging, the environment, tool materials, education, research contributing to increased innovation and working life science, tourism and leisure and gender the development of internationally competitive relations. Research collaboration can be in the form exporting clusters. of commissioned research, joint research projects or • To strengthen the university through the industrial doctorate students. development of strong research environments at Karlstad University, providing research that is relevant to business and society and with the Regional collaboration potential for external funding. In Värmland, cluster policies have become an integrated • To strengthen regional governance (leadership) part of regional development strategies. During the through the co-production of knowledge last decade, cluster organisations have been invited to encouraging cross-sectoral decision making and participate in the regional development process. This complex problem solving. was illustrated through the prioritisation of the 50M SEK received as part of the national restructuring In the agreement, four research areas of particular of the Swedish defense sector in 2004. The County interest for the future were identifi ed, Governance Governor (landshövdingen) invited Karlstad University (leadership); Innovative Environment; Competence and the regional cluster organizations to join a dialogue Provision; and Quality of Life. These areas relate to that resulted in a decision to develop three competence four of the fi ve priorities of the Regional Development centres related to the established clusters in ICT, steel and Programme of Värmland5. As part of the collaboration, pulp and paper. These competence centres have been ten new professorships related to the four research developed in close collaboration with representatives of areas are expected to be initiated at Karlstad University, Karlstad University. a 15 per cent increase in professorships. In 2011, the An OECD study of Värmland in 2006 gave a clear professorships were initiated in research areas of indication of the importance of Karlstad University particular interest to the region, including energy for regional development, but also the importance effi ciency. The prioritisation of research areas and of the region for the development of Karlstad professorships was based on a dialogue between University. However, even if many well functioning Karlstad University, Region Värmland and the cluster collaborative projects and initiatives had been initiated; organisations. Apart from this, Region Värmland the need for more structured collaboration and a provides basic funding for a research centre on regional joint regional governance structure remained. These development (CERUT) at Karlstad University. There is recommendations initiated a regional process to develop also a smaller fund, from which researchers may apply more structured collaboration on regional development for project funding in external competition. among different actors. Karlstad University, Region Värmland and the cluster organisations (Compare, The Paper Province, Steel & Metal Works and the Packaging Compare - cluster collaboration Arena) have taken the lead in a regional development Compare Foundation Karlstad is one of the cluster process, which also include other actors. As a result of organisations working closely with Karlstad University. this process, several activities have been initiated. Compare was formed in 2000 through the efforts of In 2008, a fi rst agreement on research seven ICT companies in the region. The mission was collaboration was signed between Karlstad University to strengthen the image of the regional ICT sector and Region Värmland. The university was to receive a to attract competence to the region and to create total of 4M SEK for the period 2008-2010. In 2009, a meeting place for people in this relatively new a letter of intent concerning research collaboration service sector. Compare Karlstad is a foundation with for the period 2010-2014 was signed between Karlstad approximately 100 member fi rms (intressentföretag), University and Region Värmland. The funding from representing about 80 per cent of the regional ICT- Region Värmland is expected to amount to 5M SEK per companies. Together, the member fi rms, ranging from year over the period, but requires a matching amount large international groups to small family businesses, of funding from Karlstad University. Further, to secure have a total of 2 500 employees and a turnover of 4.5 long-term funding, an additional amount is expected 5 Värmland växer – och känner inga gränser

NORDREGIO WORKING PAPER 2012:3 41 billion SEK in the region. The objectives of Compare recreate information from small data fragments on are to support business development, the establishment the Internet. Compare Testlab made an independent of new company and competence development. Most test and verifi cation of the product. Since then, the activities are organised as publicly co-funded projects6. process of development and patenting has continued According to a case study by Lindqvist (2011), and presently, there is an ongoing project involving collaboration between Compare and Karlstad University international business partners, researchers and has developed substantially during the last fi ve years. European authorities to develop a tool for investigating The fi rst large cooperative project was the development sexual assaults against children. of the Compare Business Innovation Centre (CBIC), Many research projects are based on international which provides infrastructure, support and facilities contacts and several new projects have been developed for start-ups and development projects. CBIC was as spin-off from former projects. One example is developed through cooperation between Compare E-CLIC (European Collaborative Innovation Centres and the Department of Computer Science at Karlstad for Broadband Media Services), an EU project in University. It took time to develop the concept, but the North Sea Region Program. E-CLIC Värmland in the process, close contacts were developed. Since consists of Compare, Karlstad University and the then, collaboration has extended to other departments County Administrative Board of Värmland. Another and research centres, including the Centre for Services example is the Living Labs research project, developed Research (CTF). in collaboration between Compare, researchers at the During the dialogue concerning the regional Centre for Services Research at Karlstad University, funding priorities relating to the restructuring of the Norwegian research centre Nordforsk and the national defence, representatives of Compare, the large universities of Aalborg (Denmark) and ICT-company TietoEnator and the Department of (Norway). The project will use the test facilities Computer Science at Karlstad University presented an developed by Compare Testlab to test new services. idea concerning an independent test laboratory for ICT Cooperation between Karlstad University and solutions. In January 2006, CBIC was commissioned to Compare has also had an important infl uence on the develop and run a test laboratory. A pre-study involving design and development of new education programs, eight companies and the university was made, resulting including efforts such as company participation in the launch of Compare Testlab in the former military in advisory boards, reference groups or steering medical service centre at Sätterstrand in Hammarö committees. After the ICT crisis in the early 2000s, municipality. Of a total investment of 140M SEK, about the interest in ICT education dropped substantially 50 per cent comes from private actors and the rest from and the university had diffi culties to attract students. public actors at the regional, national and EU levels. At the same time, companies realized a great need for Today, Compare Testlab is an important part of the future competence. Therefore, representatives of the development of Sätterstrand Business Park. Companies Department of Computer Science at Karlstad University can rent infrastructure to test and verify computer and eleven member companies of Compare established software and systems, and a large number of projects SNITS (Cooperation Business and ICT Students) to are run in the facilities in cooperation with researchers, develop contact between businesses and ICT-students. companies and public actors. In recent years, the centre SNITS arranges breakfasts, lunch seminars and various has attracted national and international attention due social events; provides students with study visits and to its modern and energy effi cient computer halls. A mentorships; and several companies are active as particular focus has been on the development of “green lecturers or provide student advisory services. IT” and an energy effi cient computer hall. Over time, the networks of Compare Over time, a number of cooperative research and Karlstad University have grown increasingly projects have been initiated between the university and intertwined. Compare and the project arena CBIC have members of Compare, and several joint applications for become important information channels for Karlstad external funding have been submitted. In cooperation University. Today, Compare and the university make with Compare Testlab, several software applications joint marketing efforts to attract students, companies have been tested and developed by students and and research funding. There is also well developed research personnel. Test tools have been developed cooperation between the communication departments. and made available at the facilities, making it possible Further, the research and development manager of to monitor and evaluate their performance in real life. Tieto Enator has become a member of the board of One example of product testing was the EU-project Karlstad University and the open incubator INOVA. FIVES, a collaboration using a research algorithm Through various cooperative projects with developed by a researcher at Karlstad University to Compare over the past decade, the number of researchers at the Department of Computer Science at 6 www.compare.se

42 NORDREGIO WORKING PAPER 2012:3 Karlstad University has increased from about 20 persons, Research) and complex IT systems (Department of with a main focus on education, to about 30 persons, Computer Science) are likely to be the outcome of the 75 per cent of whom are researchers. Additionally, two present dialogue between Karlstad University, Region new professorships, in services (Centre for Services Värmland and Compare.

The role of Karlstad University in regional development

It is evident that Karlstad University, even as a with 12 500 students and a staff of 1 200 persons, University College in the 1970s, has had an important representing almost 5 per cent of the inhabitants in the role in regional development. The Karlstad University region. Further, in 2011, Karlstad University generated College was based on a tradition of teacher training and income amounting to more than a billion SEK. Part nursing education, to provide the region with strategic of the income comes from external funding, including competence. Over time, research and education has public and private grants, commissioned education and broadened to include other areas, such as the humanities research, and national or international research funding and fi ne arts, social and economic sciences, natural and the ambition is to increase this share in the future. sciences, and engineering and technology. In the Vision Second, the university has an explicit ambition of 2015 plan, it is clearly stated that Karlstad University networking, by being an active and important link in the has a role in contributing to regional attractiveness and Swedish higher education system and, at the same time, growth. maintain a strong regional basis and an international Cooperation with companies, authorities and outlook. Today, the university participates in several organisations has always been a major task for Karlstad national collaborations, while being involved in various University. The university aims to work according to networks in order to develop a strong international the concept of the knowledge triangle, combining profi le. the traditional tasks of education and research with From a labour market perspective, Karlstad collaboration with the surrounding society. Today, there University has traditionally had an important role is even a goal to become one of the best universities in equipping graduates with skills that are useful to in Europe regarding external collaboration. As a the private and to public sectors, such as in the fi elds consequence, university management has decided that of health care and public management. According 15 per cent of the budget should be allocated according to representatives of cluster organisations, access to the amount and quality of external collaboration. to relevant competence is often one of the most However, there is still an on-going process in deciding important reasons for private companies to engage in upon the evaluation criteria to be used. cluster development. This was the main motive behind As Karlstad is one of the smallest universities the establishment of the cluster organisations TPP in Sweden, it is necessary to prioritise and focus. (The Paper Province) and Compare, around 2000, and During the last decade, the establishment of regionally it may become just as important in the future, as for supported cluster organisations, representing important example, the ICT sector foresees a dramatic increase in fi elds in the private sector, has contributed to increased the need for ICT competence. Through collaboration collaboration between Karlstad University and the between ICT companies and Karlstad University in the public and private sectors. Today, this collaboration SNITS-project, there has been a great opportunity to is manifested in the letter of intent between Region attract students by providing an interesting programme Värmland and Karlstad University on the funding of with close business contacts. There is also an ambition applied research and ten professorships of importance to support life long learning, something promoted by to the region and in the ongoing process of jointly Karlstad University Professional Services. developing a new cluster strategy, as part of a regional The university has an important role as one innovation strategy. This collaboration is also anchored of the key actors in the regional innovation system. in the Regional Development Plan, indicating that the Several organisations have been developed within or university is perceived as an important actor for regional in close cooperation with the university, including development in Värmland. Grants & Innovation, the Innovation Offi ce “the Karlstad University has several different roles in Four Leaf Clover”, INOVA and CBIC. The purpose supporting regional development. First, the university of these organisations is to stimulate and support has a considerable economic impact on the region, entrepreneurship and innovation. Collaboration between

NORDREGIO WORKING PAPER 2012:3 43 the university, companies and public actors has also Spjut, Håkan (2011), Lärosätets profi lering kan vässa contributed to the development and commercialisation regionens styrkor, Gränsbrytning No. 12/2011 of new patents, products and services. An example is OECD (2006), Supporting the Contribution of Higher the participation of students and researchers from the Education Institutions in Regional Development, Peer university in joint development and research projects in Review Report: Värmland Region, Sweden, May the test and demonstration laboratories at the Packaging OECD (2010), Greenhouse (TPG) and Compare Testlab. Värmland växer – och känner inga gränser, Regional Together with the regional clusters, Karlstad utvecklingsprogram för Värmland University has an important role to contribute to the Regeringen (2008), Ett lyft för forskning och innovation, development of an attractive region, for students and Prop. 2008/09:50 researchers, as well as for employees and companies. Utbildningsdepartementet (2009), Pressmeddelande: 60 For example, in recent years the development of the miljoner till innovationskontor på åtta universitet, 12 pulp and paper cluster in the region has contributed to november 2009 the attraction of a number of foreign direct investments Region Värmland (2011), Different Values of by creating one of the world’s highest concentrations Cooperation in Innovative Environments, Forthcoming in competence in the pulp and paper sector, including equipment and consultancy services. Interviews Staffan Bjurulf, Region Värmland, 2010-10-11 References Thomas Blom, Vice Rector, Karlstad Universitet, 2011- Karlstad University www.kau.se 05-16 Forskning och utbildningsstrategi för Karlstads Anna Brunström, Department of Computer Science, universitet 2009-2012, Dnr C2007/127 Karlstad University, 2010-10-11 Kvalitetsarbete vid Karlstads universitet, Dnr Patrik Bångerius, Grants & Innovation, Karlstads C2008/164 universitet, 2010-10-12 Avsiktsförklaring on forskningssamarbete mellan Stefan Lindskog, Department of Computer Science, Region Värmland och Karlstads universitet åren 2010- Karlstad University, 2010-10-11 2014 Anders Olsson, Region Värmland, 2011-08-31 Karlstads universitet (2010), Årsredovisning 2010, Dnr Sten Wedemalm, Compare Testlab, 2010-10-11 C2011/10 Göran Österman, Compare, 2010-10-11 Karlstads Universitet, Vision 2015 För dig som vill tänka fritt, nytt och stort

44 NORDREGIO WORKING PAPER 2012:3 Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm (KTH)

Written by Maria Lindqvist, Nordregio

Stockholm County

Stockholm County is located in Mideastern Sweden, Sweden. along the coast of the Baltic Sea7. The total land area As a capital region, Stockholm’s innovation is 6 490 km2, or less than 2 per cent of Sweden. With structure is complex, with many strong and approximately 1.9 million inhabitants (23 per cent of the independent actors in both the public and the private national total), it is the dominant city region in Sweden. sectors. Various national public entities (government, The county consists of 26 municipalities, including ministries, research funding bodies and agencies) are Stockholm, with more than 829 000 inhabitants. The also located in Stockholm. The County Administrative average population density is 311 persons per km2, well Board of Stockholm (Länsstyrelsen) is the government above the national average of 23. However, there are body responsible for developing a Regional Development considerable variations between the city centre and the Programme (RUP). The Stockholm County Council more peripheral municipalities. Throughout the 1990s, (Landstinget) is a politically elected regional organization Stockholm experienced consistent and impressive that is responsible for developing the Regional Development growth. Between 2005 and 2010, the annual population Plan for the County of Stockholm (RUFS), with specifi c growth of Stockholm County was about 15 per mille, planning and policy responsibilities related to regional more than twice the national average (Lindqvist, 2010). (spatial) development, health care, transport and Stockholm has considerable strengths in infrastructure. In recent years, a collaborative process, research and development and has been rated a top including many regional stakeholders, took place to innovation region in the EU. There are several major develop a new regional plan, RUFS 2010, integrating universities (Karolinska Institute, Stockholm University, the regional (business) development programme (RUP). Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm School For the period 2007-2013, Stockholm is receiving of Economics), along with a number of specialized fi nancial support through the European Regional university colleges. There is also a concentration of Development Funds (ERDF) for the fi rst time. To advanced businesses working in fi elds such as logistical prepare decisions and prioritize different projects, a and fi nancial services, as well as its specialization in high broad regional partnership was established. Through tech sectors, particularly ICT (Ericsson, IBM Svenska this partnership, local and regional stakeholders from and TeliaSonera) and life sciences (AstraZenec and different sectors have increased cooperation on regional Pfi zer). In the southern part of the region, there are some development in Stockholm. To avoid the administrative large traditional engineering companies (e.g. Scania). burden and fragmentation of many small projects, the Some of the notable demographic characteristics of partnership has focused on a limited number of larger the region are the high percentage of the population projects. Although there is no explicit cluster policy in who pursued higher education (23 percent), a low level Stockholm, many ERDF projects have been directed of unemployment (6.8 per cent in 2009) and a high towards cluster initiatives in the high tech sectors of level of employment in the service sector (85 percent). life sciences and ICT, as well as new cluster initiatives With a more limited dependency on export industries involving new sectors, including environmental and a higher level of employment in the services sector, technology and the creative sector (Lindqvist & the region of Stockholm has been less affected by the Baltzopoulos, 2011). economic crisis than more peripheral or rural areas in

7 Stockholm is also part of the greater Lake Mälar region, including parts of the counties of Västmanland, Södermanland and Uppsala.

NORDREGIO WORKING PAPER 2012:3 45 Presentation of KTH

KTH is the largest, oldest and most international study programmes. The educational programmes lead technical university in Sweden. KTH’s history dates back to bachelor, master or PhD level degrees in engineering, to 1827, when the polytechnic institute Teknologiska science, or architecture. In 2010, KTH had a total of Institutet began to offer education in technological just over 14,000 full-year equivalent undergraduate subjects with a strong professional emphasis. The students and close to 1,700 active research students, less educational focus was on applied technology, not on its than 30 per cent of whom were women. There were scientifi c foundations. Still, basic research and practical almost 3,200 full time equivalent employees, including engineering often cross-fertilized each other, in areas more than 500 professors or associate professors. such as chemistry and electricity, for example. In 1877, In 2010, total funding for KTH amounted the name of the institute was changed to Kungliga to 3,674M SEK. State-funding for undergraduate Tekniska Högskolan (KTH); the fi rst step towards a education and doctoral studies amounted to 1,992M higher academic status. Formally, academic recognition SEK. KTH had an impressive share of external funding, occurred in 1927, when KTH received university about 40 per cent of the total amount. The most status and the right to offer the degree of Doctor of important sources of external funding were the Swedish Technology8. Research Council, the EU, Vinnova and the Wallenberg Foundations, but about 800M SEK came from other sources, including other government agencies and Facts and fi gures private funds9. The allocation of state-funding to the Approximately one-third of Sweden’s technical research schools primarily occurs in the ‘President´s contracts’, and capacity at the university which are negotiated yearly. The contracts are based on level is provided by KTH. Education and research performance evaluation (numbers of students, citations spans from the natural sciences to all of the branches and external funding) in combination with a strategic of engineering and also includes architecture, industrial discussion about future activities. management and urban planning. Since 1917, the main campus area has been located in the northern part of central Stockholm. Since then, new campus areas have Development strategies developed. Today, KTH and Stockholm University According to the Vision 2027 plan, the goal of KTH jointly offer study programmes and carry out research is to become one of Europe’s most eminent technical in biotechnology and physics at nearby AlbaNova universities, based on its excellence in research and University Centre. The School of Information and education and its close collaboration with society. Communication Technology is located on the Kista Some of the guiding principles to reach this goal are campus, in the northern part of Stockholm, and there internationalization; increased autonomy; excellence in are additional campuses located in Flemingsberg/ education, research, collaboration and administration; Haninge and Södertälje in the southern metropolitan sustainable development; and visibility. The vision has area. been developed through an inclusive process, involving In January 2005, KTH reorganised itself, creating a large number of internal and external stakeholders ‘schools’ responsible for education and research from different geographical levels. activities. The purpose was to clarify responsibilities As a technical university, KTH has a long and reduce the number of units directly subordinate to tradition of industrial collaboration, with Swedish core the president. Initially, nine schools replaced over thirty industries in addition to new, high-tech fi rms. In the departments (Geschwind et al, 2010). In 2010, KTH had Strategic Plan 2009-2012, it is stated that collaboration the following ten Schools; Architecture and the Built with external actors is of great importance and, to Environment; Biotechnology; Chemical Science and an increasing extent, a precondition for the future Engineering; Computer Science and Communication; competitive edge of the university. KTH aims to be Electrical Engineering; Information and Communication positioned as an entrepreneurial university that values Technology; Industrial Engineering and Management; innovation and entrepreneurship in education and Engineering Sciences; Technology and Health; and - as to stimulate the creativity and innovation of students the tenth school - Education and Communication in and researchers. This is, for example, manifested in the Engineering Science (including pedagogic and library recent development of the KTH Innovation Offi ce and services). Most schools are heading a number of in the university’s participation in different networks departments, centres of excellence and undergraduate and many collaborative research centres and platforms,

8 www.kth.se 9 KTH (2011), Årsredovisning 2010

46 NORDREGIO WORKING PAPER 2012:3 nationally as well as internationally. International profi le An important part of future development relates KTH is an international university with many foreign to the attitudes, competences and incentives of KTH researchers and students. To facilitate the participation management, staff and researchers. For several years, of foreign students, as many as 65 of 68 Master the Entrepreneurial Faculty project has provided leading programmes are run in English. Extensive international faculty members with opportunities for exchanging research and educational exchange programmes allow experience and benchmarking on successful activities for for exchanges with universities and colleges in Europe, innovation and collaboration through workshops and the U.S., Australia and Asia. KTH is also a partner study visits to leading universities, such as Cambridge, in several international university networks such as MIT, and the Universities of Twente, Zürich, Delft, Tuft CLUSTER and T.I.M.E. During the 2000s, the share of and Lausanne (Innovation Bridge Stockholm, KTH foreign students increased rapidly. In 2007, KTH had a and Sister, 2005). A more recent initiative has been the total of 3 230 foreign students at different levels, almost KTH Future Faculty project, with the goal to develop one fi fth of all students; more than any other Swedish a stimulating working and studying environment for university. Since then, new national regulations requiring teachers, researchers and students. A central mission is study fees for non-EU citizens have been introduced the development of a tenure track system, to provide and international student enrolment, particularly from young researchers with career support. Several activities Asia, has decreased. have been initiated, including lectures and an initiative to The university has been successful in the attract female guest professors. There is also an ongoing competition for research grants at the European level. project to develop a Faculty of Innovative Engineering, In 2009, KTH was the most successful university in by increasing collaboration with larger partners for Europe in receiving research grants from the European industrial PhD students, researchers and teachers. Research Council. The following year, total EU funding Still, attitudes towards regional collaboration amounted to about 182M SEK. KTH is also the host of vary within KTH. Some schools have a pronounced two European Knowledge and Innovation Communities ambition of collaborating with regional stakeholders, (KIC) as part of the EU initiative European Institute while others are more inclined to stress the importance of Innovation and Technology (EIT). The goal is to of research excellence, global collaboration and make Europe a global leader for innovations in ICT and competition (Lindqvist, 2010b). This may partly result Sustainable Energy. Within each consortium, there are from different traditions and relevance for collaboration. research institutes, major engineering companies and Further, there is a traditional confl ict concerning applied several leading technical universities in Europe. The research and short term industry collaboration versus consortia were selected in tough competition by EIT’s basic long-term research, excellence and the liberty of board. researchers. Even if external funding has become a EIT ICT Labs is focused on software engineering criterion for performance evaluation, scientifi c citations and IT services. The consortium’s primary nodes are still have a dominant infl uence on the academic merits in Stockholm, Berlin, Eindhoven, Helsinki and Paris. and career development of researchers at KTH. The Swedish node, with KTH as the major partner, in In the reorganisation in 2005, the Faculty Board cooperation with SICS, Ericsson and TeliaSonera, will received a new, important function in terms of quality among other things, be responsible for educational assurance. As global competition between higher issues and for the area mobile communication. education institutions is increasing, the need for quality Together with a number of actors, including STING indicators and international rankings is becoming and the Electrum Foundation in Kista, KTH will act in increasingly important. To evaluate the quality of its the spirit of the knowledge triangle, and run projects research, KTH performed an international research to integrate education, research and innovation in an assessment exercise (RAE) based on self assessment attempt to strengthen the local innovation system. and peer reviews in 2008. As a direct result of this, KTH is also a major partner in the KIC fi ve research platforms were established to address consortium InnoEnergy, together with Karlsruhe, grand global challenges, requiring cooperative, multi- Grenoble, Eindhoven/Leuven, Barcelona and Krakow. disciplinary research. In 2010, the Faculty Board Sweden, through KTH and Uppsala University, will be initiated an internal process to develop a new quality responsible for the areas of ‘smart electricity network’ assurance system based on continuous development in and ‘electrical energy storage’ in cooperation with the four different sectors; education, research, collaboration private companies ABB and Vattenfall. Together with and competence development. As a consequence of Uppsala University, KTH will build up an innovation the project, an education assessment exercise (EAE) centre specialised in environmental technology and was undertaken and a new RAE has been initiated. sustainable energy solutions, with activities at both of the universities campuses.

NORDREGIO WORKING PAPER 2012:3 47 Support structure innovation and entrepreneurship in Swedish universities, Education and research at KTH can create possibilities in 2009, KTH was commissioned to develop an for entrepreneurship, innovation and competence innovation offi ce providing professional, independent development among companies, organizations, offi cial support systems for research commercialization. The authorities and individuals. To support this, the recently KTH Innovation Offi ce has the ambition to create a reorganised KTH Business Liaison is the contact world class support system for commercializing technical point for different types of services, including access research in the Mälardalen region, in collaboration with to professional competence; research collaboration; other innovation support organisations in the region. innovation support; recruitment; and network activities. Even before the Innovation Offi ce was founded, there In the future, there is an ambition to provide academic, were well functioning, but underfunded, innovation as well as business, expertise related to areas covered by support organizations at KTH, Mälardalen University the research platforms of KTH. (MDH) and Stockholm University (SU). Since then, a Competence development can be provided regional partnership has been established between the in different forms, including continued education, three universities, as well as with Uppsala University, commissioned education and executive business Karolinska Institute and a number of research institutes. management. KTH Education acts as a broker Some of the services provided are increased IPR between KTH and the business world in the creation support; access to a web based platforms for structural of customized professional educational programs in capital, including processes, templates and tools; and a the fi elds of engineering and business. KTH Executive more comprehensive collaboration between the local School is an independent organisation, owned by KTH. incubators, such as STING, Create and SU Innovation. The objective is to develop the skills of executives in In a partnership between KTH Innovation and business management and strategic leadership through Excitera, a student-driven, non-profi t entrepreneurship executive programs. association in Stockholm, the fi rst Swedish student As part of the government’s intention to stimulate incubator was recently launched at KTH Campus.

Collaboration with the surrounding society

KTH has a longstanding tradition of collaboration with formal incentives for collaboration, from an academic core Swedish industries. When KTH was established, perspective (Lindqvist, 2010b). almost 180 years ago, the main task was to provide Research at KTH is, to a large extent, conducted Swedish industry with relevant competencies for in co-operation with companies and various societal engineering. Over the year, research activities became bodies. Co-operation on newer subject areas is often more pronounced. Over the years, there has also been a organized as competence centres. Most of them growing demand from the government for collaboration have a board representing actors from trade, business with the surrounding society, as well as greater efforts to and society, but others are autonomous units directly attract international students, researchers and external subordinate to the KTH President. Some of the funding. competence centres also act as liaison offi ces between As indicated in the Strategic Plan 2009-2012 and KTH and other universities. Presently, there are about 55 the Vision 2027, collaboration with external actors is different competence centres with a formal connection of great importance for KTH. Such efforts take many to one of KTH’s Schools and another fi ve competence different forms. According to an interview study with centres run by other bodies in collaboration with KTH. management representatives from all ten schools during Sixteen national research centres are hosted by KTH; 2010, collaboration activities ranged from infl uencing e.g. VinnExcellence Centres (Vinnova), Linné Centres the general attitude towards natural sciences by arranging (the Swedish Research Council), centres for the Swedish study visits for teachers and students from secondary Foundation for Strategy Research, Swedish Energy schools, to international research collaboration with Agency Centres and Mistra Centre. prestigious universities and multinational companies. As a result of the KTH Research Assessment Some of these activities are arranged or supported by Exercise (RAE) in 2008, fi ve research platforms were KTH management, while others are based on personal established to increase coordination of research activities. relations or initiatives from individual researchers, The platforms address “global grand challenges” department or schools. External collaboration could be that require multi-disciplinary research approaches: further developed, but there is still a lack of specifi c Energy; Information and Communication Technology; funding, of developed systems for follow-up and of Materials; Medical and Biomedical Technology; and

48 NORDREGIO WORKING PAPER 2012:3 Transport. They were intended to work as catalysts Stockholm School of Entrepreneurship (SSES); a joint for large multi-disciplinary research initiatives carried initiative between KTH, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm out by research groups at KTH together with external School of Economics and Stockholm University. SSES partners and stakeholders. The platforms also serve is a member-based, non-profi t organization that gathers three supporting roles; to maintain a strategic outlook the innovative and entrepreneurial competencies of all with support from external stakeholders; to have an members in a joint education programme. There is also advisory role for future investments in faculty and increased collaboration on support for innovation and infrastructure; and to build and maintain links with commercialization between university business liaison cooperation partners and other external stakeholders. offi ces, incubators and the recently created innovation The 2008 government bill on research and offi ces at KI and KTH. innovation proposed increased support for Strategic Furthermore, there is a need for collaboration Research Areas (SRA). 24 strategic research areas were with public and private stakeholders. In terms of research considered important for Swedish competitiveness collaborations, many of the competences centres and and growth. In 2009, The Swedish Research Council strategic research platforms at KTH have been developed launched a call for application including 20 of these in close collaboration with universities, public actors and areas. Based on an evaluation process, a total of 1 315M business representatives in the Stockholm region. There SEK in increased funding per year was to be granted are also other types of collaborations, concerning, for to Swedish higher education institutions for the period example, competence development, knowledge transfer 2009-2012. KTH was awarded funding in 11 SRAs and and regional attractiveness. As the regional partnership is responsible for managing the funding in fi ve of these, for the ERDF 2007-2013 decided to prioritise strategic including Information and Communication Technology development in specifi c sectors/clusters; KTH has (ICT), Molecular Bioscience, Transport, Production and been involved in several regional cluster development e-Science. KTH has also received substantial funding projects in the greater Stockholm region, including Life within the SRA concerning energy. SRA funding will Science (Hagastaden/Flemingsberg), ICT (Kista) and be used to develop existing research and to create new Creative Stockholm (Botkyrka). research environments. There is an explicit ambition to ICT is one of the strategic research platforms engage other actors and to make sure the results have being developed at KTH. In the ICT sector, KTH is an impact on society. Recruitment has been a key issue, involved in many different activities, including education, with the aim to complement existing research teams research and collaboration. The Electrum Foundation with high potential individuals from around the world. in Kista was commissioned by representatives of ICT SRA activities will be linked to the recently introduced companies (Ericsson, IBM, Packetfront), a real estate tenure track system at KTH. There is also coordinated company, the ICT research institute Acreo, KTH and the fi nancial support and strategic advice to enable the City of Stockholm to stimulate growth and cooperation in SRAs to seek further research funding. research and innovation for ICT companies. Operations are administered by two subsidiaries; Kista Science City (e.g. real estate management and networking) and the Regional collaboration business incubator STING. Further, the ICT programs In the Vision 2017 plan, there is an ambition for at KTH are co-located with Stockholm University at the Stockholm and the larger Lake Mälar region to become premises of Kista. KTH is also the host for EIT ICT one of Europe’s most innovative environments and for Labs, an ICT consortium within the European Institute KTH to have an active role in the region’s development. of Innovation and Technology (EIT) initiative, with a To reach the region’s goals and to compete for students focus on software engineering and IT services. and faculty on a global scale, the need for strategic Similarly, KTH is involved in many different alliances - or even mergers -between leading universities activities related to the development of the strategic in the Stockholm region is considered necessary. research platform on medical and biomedical In recent years, KTH’s participation in regional technology. One example is AlbaNova University development and cooperation with other regional Centre10, a research and education initiative run in universities and university colleges on education, collaboration between KTH and Stockholm University research and innovation has developed considerably. (SU). Another example is the Science for Life laboratory, For example, 21 universities and university run in collaboration by KTH, SU, Karolinska Institute colleges in Stockholm have developed a platform and Uppsala University. A third example is CMTH for cooperating on education, student information, (Centre for Medical Technology and Health), based on marketing, analysis and networking; the Stockholm collaboration between KTH, KI and the County Council Academic Forum (StAF). Another cooperative initiative of Stockholm. KTH is also participating in two ERDF- to foster entrepreneurship among students is the 10 The Stockholm Centre for Physics, Astronomy and Biotechnology,

NORDREGIO WORKING PAPER 2012:3 49 funded projects for supporting the developing the small the Stockholm County Administrative Board, Micasa and medium-sized companies in the life science sector AB (municipal real estate company) and Norrtälje in the new areas of Hagastaden and Flemingsberg. Municipality. The project was coordinated through the Together, these activities have contributed to increased Stockholm Academic Forum (StAF), a platform for collaboration with other regional actors, such as cooperation between all of the 21 higher education Stockholm University, Stockholm County Council and institutions in the Stockholm region. KI over the last years. Two “knowledge pilots” were employed in the project to match companies’ and institutions’ needs. Different methods of knowledge transfer were tested, The Knowledge Navigator including students who carried out their thesis work (Kunskapslotsen) in companies and researchers participating in smaller One example of a collaborative project in the Stockholm research projects. Various support tools were developed, region is the Knowledge Navigator. The project was including checklists, contracts and resource databases. In initiated by KTH in collaboration with four other the process of developing the matching model, incentives higher education institutions in Stockholm; Karolinska and barriers for collaboration were investigated. In total, Institute, Stockholm University, Södertörn University 460 business representatives from 201 companies, 255 College and University College of Arts, Craft and Design researchers and 387 students participated in different (Konstfack). The purpose was to improve contacts and activities during the fi rst phase. Recruitment, research, stimulate the transfer of knowledge between small and business or product development, benchmarking, and medium-sized companies and academic institutions competence development were examples of processes in the Stockholm region. The project received 10M that were initiated. SEK from the European Regional Development Fund In 2011, an application for continued funding (ERDF) for the period 2008-2013. from the ERDF was approved and the second phase of In the fi rst phase, from 2008 to 2010, the project started. Business focus has been broadened, collaboration increased and a matching model for to include environmental aspects as well. In this knowledge cooperation between trade and industry phase, the matching model is to be further developed and academia was developed and tested. The long term and tested. The second phase is run by StAF and the ambition was to reach out to companies in all sectors, Innovation Offi ces of KTH and KI. This means that but in this fi rst phase, focus was on nursing, healthcare the project will have an even closer link to the higher and care of the elderly. Co-funding was provided by education institutions in the region. the participating universities and university colleges,

The role of KTH in regional development

Over the years, the role of KTH in regional development Altogether, it is estimated that the academic sector in has evolved. From an initial focus on providing Swedish the greater Stockholm-Lake Mälar region in 2008 had core industries with engineering competence, the role a total turnover around 22B SEK, generating about 17 has become increasingly complex. Even if internal 000 jobs and almost 110 000 student in the region. An attitudes towards regional collaboration still vary, a broad analysis of the economic impact of KTH indicates that range of collaborative activities with regional actors 70 per cent of its total revenue is spent in the region and or with consequences for regional development have that every job at KTH generated 0.4 additional jobs in developed. Today, this is important for the development the region (Broström, 2009). of high quality education and research, as well as for In terms of research collaboration, many of the the stimulation of innovation and entrepreneurship. competence centres and strategic research platforms at Further, even if many activities do not have a specifi c KTH have been developed in close collaboration with objective to support regional development in the universities, public actors and business representatives Stockholm area, the actual locations of KTH and its in the Stockholm region. Even if there is no explicit main partners contribute to regional development. strategy for prioritising research collaboration in the In terms of economic impact, KTH in itself Stockholm region, many of the partners dominating has a relatively modest infl uence on the total number private research funding of KTH, such as Ericsson, of inhabitants, GRP and employment rate of the Scania and Skanska, have important functions in the Stockholm region. Still, KTH is part of an extensive region. Similarly, Stockholm has a strong concentration network of higher education institutions in the area. of Swedish competence in ICT, medtech and life

50 NORDREGIO WORKING PAPER 2012:3 science sector, with many small, high tech companies regional actors, providing conference rooms and the located in the region. opportunity for spontaneous meetings. Even more important, education at KTH has Increased global competition for students and an impact on regional competence development in researchers has put greater pressure on universities Stockholm. According to many of KTH’s largest to engage in developing attractive regions. In Vision external partners, access to future competence is a central 2027, the importance of strategic alliances with priority for them to be able to remain in the region. other higher education institutions in Stockholm and Today, the majority of students stay in the region after for collaboration with regional public actors on concluding their studies (alumni). About 80 per cent of strategic questions is highlighted as part of KTH’s them work in smaller R&D companies or knowledge strategy to increase the attractiveness of the greater intensive services companies. An analysis of the Stockholm region. One example of strategic efforts for distribution of approximately 1 000 new doctors from collaboration with public actors concerns the need to KTH who graduated between 2003 and2007 indicated develop a better transport infrastructures and facilities that by 2008, approximately 170 persons stayed in for housing for students and visiting professors. KTH universities in the greater Stockholm-Lake Mälar region, plays an active role in developing attractive areas for about 45 went to research institutes in the KTH campus living and working. KTH was one of the founders of the area and about 435 were recruited by companies. The Electrum foundation, which is responsible for physical majority started to work at large companies in the planning and developing the ICT sector in Kista, in region, including Scania, Ericsson, ABB, AstraZeneca Northern Stockholm. Other examples relate to the and Vattenfall (Sittenfeld & Reitberger, 2011). development of hard and soft infrastructure for the life Recruitment to higher education institutions science sector in Northern (Hagastaden) and Southern has become more regional in recent years, partly as a (Flemingsberg) Stockholm. These areas are expected result of national policies between the 1970s and 1990s to improve the potential not only for entrepreneurship to increase accessibility to higher education in all parts and business development, but also to attract foreign of the country by establishing new universities and competence and investments to the region. university colleges. In Stockholm, an average of 78 per cent of the students from Stockholm County applied to higher education in the greater Stockholm-Lake Mälar References region between 2004 and 2008. KTH also has a role Broström, A. (2009), Stjärnbildning – Vilka roller spelar of attracting students and researchers to the regions, universitet och högskolor i Stockholm-Mälarregionen?, particularly form other countries. The number of new Mälardalsrådet students at KTH per year almost doubled between 1999 Geschwind, L. et al (2010), KTH School Organisation, and 2008. However, as the number of students from Evaluation Report, Technopolis Group the Stockholm and the greater Stockholm-Lake Mälar- Innovation Bridge Stockholm, KTH and Sister (2005), region has remained relatively constant, the increase was The KTH Entrepreneurial Faculty Project, VINNOVA explained by a rapid increase in the number of foreign Report 2005:13 students. After the introduction of student fees for non- Kungliga Tekniska Högskolan (2011), www.kth.se EU citizens, the increase has slowed down however. Kungliga Tekniska Högskolan (2008), KTH in the There is also increased collaboration and support service of humanity, for the society of tomorrow, The for innovation and commercialization with university Strategic Plan 2009-2012 business liaison offi ces and incubators in the greater Kungliga Tekniska Högskolan (2011), Årsredovisning Stockholm area through the recently established KTH 2010 innovation offi ce. Historically, there have been several Kungliga Tekniska Högskolan (2011), Vision 2027, innovation support organizations in the region. Today, remiss version 2011-05-31 a regional partnership between KTH, Mälardalen Lindqvist, M. ed. (2011), Regional Development in the University (MDH) and Stockholm University (SU) has Nordic Countries 2010, Nordregion Report 2010:2 been formed and cooperates with regional incubators Lindqvist, M. and Baltzopoulos, A. (2011), Regional (e.g. STING, CREATE and SU Innovation) and Innovation Monitor, Regional Innovation Report research institutes (SICS, Innventia, SP and YKI). This (Stockholm), 1 September 2011 collaboration is expected to be further supported by the Lindqvist, M. (2010a), Regional Development in the ongoing discussion of gathering regional innovation Nordic Countires 2010, Nordregio Report 2010:2 support actors in an open innovation laboratory in Lindqvist, M. (2010b), Uppdatering av KTHs policy the former Dean´s offi ce at KTH. The ambition is to och handlingsplan för kvalitetssäkring. Kartläggning co-locate the activities of KTH Liaison Offi ce, KTH av nuläget avseende samverkansuppgiften. Internal Innovation, StAF, the ICT incubator STING and other working paper, KTH.

NORDREGIO WORKING PAPER 2012:3 51 Sittenfeld, J. & Reitberger, R. (2011), Kunskapsutbyte genom personrörlighet mellan akademi och näringsliv. Inspel till Industrinkommitténs arbete med Industrins offert till Sverige. Vetenskapsrådet (2009), Call for Grant Applications: Strategic Research Areas

Interviews Johan Blaus, (tf) project manager, Kunskapslotsen, StAF, 2011-03-11/2011-09-22 Ulrika Ljungman, director, KTH Business Liaison, 2011-09-26 Ewa Malmström Jonsson, prorector KTH, 2010-10-05 Göran Reitberger, senior advisor, KTH, 2010-09- 09/2011-03-11/2011-09-22 Folke Snickars, professor ABE, former dekanus, KTH, 2010-10-05/2011-02-07

52 NORDREGIO WORKING PAPER 2012:3 HAMK University of Applied Sciences

Written by Veera Lehto and Henna Hintsala

The Häme region

Häme County is situated in Southern Finland, in vicinity According to the Finnish Law of Regional of large urban centres. The Häme region is made up of Development, regional council’s acts as regional three sub regions: Forssa, Hämeenlinna and Riihimäki development authorities. The Regional Council of Häme and includes 11 municipalities. The county covers 5 200 promotes regional development together with member km² and had 173 828 inhabitants in 2010. Population municipalities, civil servants and local businesses and density was 33 persons/km2. The largest municipality other development partners. As a regional authority, the is Hämeenlinna, Finland’s oldest inland town, with 66 council draws up strategies to defi ne goals and measures 455 inhabitants (Lindqvist, 2010a). Net migration to the for different development plans: the regional plan, the region over recent years resulted in a population growth regional strategic programme and the regional land use of about 5.8 per cent between 1995 and 2010. plan. The main objective is to support the independent Functionally, the region of Häme belongs and continuous development of the region. The future to Southern Finland and to the greater Helsinki challenges for the County of Häme lies in balanced Metropolitan region and is also part of Helsinki- economics, international competitiveness and an aging Hämeenlinna-Tampere-zone. The county is part of population that affects the labour market and increases both the decentralised city network in Southern Finland the need for services offered by public sector. Häme and the metropolitan commuting area. The region is has been successful in fostering an educated labor force, only about an hour’s drive or train trip from the capital suitable for the changing demands of business life and and the other cities of the southern Finland. internationalization, but also in creating an accessible A signifi cant proportion of Finland’s oldest and high quality housing and living environment. In the industrial heritage, dating back to the 19th century, is regional plan, there are fi ve focus areas: regeneration, found in the Häme region. Nowadays, there are some 1 work-life and know-how, internationalisation, 000 industrial fi rms operating in the region, 450 of them accessibility and housing and environment. These in metals, 150 in mechanical wood refi nement and 100 focus points require renewing rather than preserving, in the food industry. There are over 6 000 enterprises in risk taking to develop, services beyond production in all of Häme, the majority of which operate in the fi eld business life and entrepreneurship to support public of commercial service provision. service production.

Presentation of HAMK

HAMK University of Applied Sciences was established HAMK is maintained by the Häme Municipal in 1995 and is based on eight separate education Federation for Professional Higher Education institutions. HAMK has a wide operational area with (HAKKY) and was formed by six member activities not only in Häme, but also two other counties, municipalities. HAKKY was formed by HAMK and Uusimaa and Etelä-Pirkanmaa, with a service zone of the Häme Vocational Institute (HAMI), which is a 2 million people. There are education units operating in secondary education institution. HAKKY determines the municipalities of Forssa, Hyvinkää, Hämeenlinna, the objectives concerning the key operations and Riihimäki and Valkeakoski and in the villages of Evo, fi nance. HAMK is state run and state funded. Basic Lepaa and Mustiala. The main campus is located in funding from the state and municipalities amounts to Hämeenlinna. 49M € and supplementary funding to 18M €, of which

NORDREGIO WORKING PAPER 2012:3 53 R&D and project funding is 7M €. Universities of of Education and Culture. HAKKY’s operating and applied science don’t get as much internal fi nancing for fi nancial plan also plays an important role for HAMK research compared to universities. The aim is to expand and its strategies. this fund base. In the HAMK Strategy 2015, the vision is that HAMK is a multidisciplinary University HAMK will be profi led as an international higher of Applied Sciences with six fi elds of education: education institution and promoter of entrepreneurship, Culture, Natural Resources and the Environment; which will help raise the population’s competence level. Natural Sciences; Social Services, Health and Sports; It wants to cooperate with the regional labour market, Technology, Communication and Transport; and have wide networks and be able to quickly respond Social Sciences, Business and Administration. HAMK to the integration and development of education, provides possibilities for lifelong learning through the employment and R&D. There are four central aspects Open University of Applied Sciences and continuing in the strategy. professional education (specialisation studies and training). The Professional Teacher Education Unit • Competence development (improving the (HAMK PTEU) is Finland’s largest teacher education competitiveness of the education, teaching, unit, providing formal pedagogical qualifi cations for research and service process, promoting lifelong teachers who work as educators in institutions of higher learning) education, vocational colleges, institutions geared • Profi ling (reinforcing strengths, setting apart from towards adult education and training, in public sector other operators) organisations, human resource management, as well as • Development of operations (developing new in business and industry. strategic solutions) All together, there are 8 196 students and a staff • Regional cooperation (strategic partnerships and of 777 in HAMK, which is the 5th largest university expanding fund base) of applied science in Finland More than half of the students and staff are located in Hämeenlinna. There The HAMK Education strategy 2010-2015, completed are 29 bachelor-level and 8 master’s-level degree at the end of 2009, sets objectives and clarifi es the programmes. There are 4 851 fi rst-cycle degree students development of education at HAMK by 2015. It focuses and 1 680 part time students, 373 second-cycle students on the needs and expectations of the business comunity, and 1 025 students in vocational teacher education. In a structurally fl exible education and teaching process that 2010, 924 Bachelor’s degrees, 80 Master’s degrees, 135 promotes lifelong learning, the integration of teaching Professional specialisation studies and 375 Vocational and R&D, the internationality of education, and on teacher education degrees were completed. taking entrepreneurship to a new level. HAMK has HAMK has a strong infl uence on the County also produced two regional strategies: Regional Strategy of Häme, socially as well as in economically. HAMK 2002 and the Common HEI Regional strategy of Häme was named the Centre of Excellence in Regional and South Pirkanmaa 2006-2009. HAMK’s strategy Development in 2001 and 2003 and the Centre of and the regional strategies of Häme complement each Excellence in Education in 2002 from the Ministry of other. HAMK can incorporate the development goals Education. The Finnish Higher Education Evaluation of the region in to its activities. Along with the renewal Council (FINHEEC) conducted an audit of HAMK’s of HAMK’s strategies, the International Strategy 2007 quality assurance system in 2011 and HAMK’s review has been revised and is now the HAMK’s Development was the best a Finnish higher education institution had Plan for Internationalisation 2015. Further, the R&D ever received from FINHEEC. The results are valid for Strategy that was fi nalised in 2010 specifi es HAMK’s six years. Further, HAMK has been awarded a Diploma policies for research, development and innovation Supplement Label for 2010-2013 by the European (RDI). Commission. The Commission (DG Education HAMK is involved in FUAS (Federation of and Culture), awards the label to higher education Universities of Applied Sciences) together with institutions that demonstrate excellence in applying the Laurea and Universities of Applied Sciences. Diploma Supplement. The Diploma Supplement Label The FUAS universities work closely together to fi nd is an honorary distinction. the competences that are needed for business and commerce, either within their own ranks or in their extensive networks, and to turn such efforts into Development strategies projects and/or competence development services. HAMK’s activities are outlined in the Government FUAS has a common summer university, virtual campus Development Plan for Education and Research and and different groups of co-operation that are building in an agreement on performance with the Ministry common quality evaluations. The aim is to build up a

54 NORDREGIO WORKING PAPER 2012:3 Finnish coalition of the largest universities of applied Network for Asian Studies. science. Pinnet is a network project that aims to International partners are key in developing top promote and strengthen internationalisation at research facilities. According to Mr. Hakala, the research Finnish Universities of Applied Sciences. The manager of HAMK, fi nancing is quite heavily based on project strives to develop different international EU funding, but after 2013, this type of money will activities: student and trainee mobility, teacher and become rarer, so the great and longstanding aim is on expert mobility, international communications and international fi nancing. However, making international marketing, international competence among personnel, connections alone can be diffi cult, so all geographical international venture activities and the recruitment of levels must be included. TEKES requires networking foreign degree students. for all of its project applicants in order to get fi nancing. Helsinki Education and Research Area (HERA) According to vice-rector Puusaari, universities of is a consortium of higher education institutions, applied science have always co-operated well together, consisting of seven universities and eight universities but sometimes there have been problems to cooperate of applied sciences in the Helsinki Metropolitan Area. with universities. There is a need to have an equal HERA’s mission is to develop the Helsinki region as an partnership with universities; otherwise it’s diffi cult to attractive place to live, learn, work and do business. collaborate on common projects. West Finland HEInet connects the regions of Tampere-Pirkanmaa-Satakunta-Seinäjoki-Häme. There are both universities and univerities of applied science International profi le involved, sharing the same interests, stakeholders and The Development Plan for Internationalisation 2015 presents customers concerning internationalisation. Challenges how HAMK may support the internationalization of the are also shared and comparing procedures for new ideas region. The basis for the development plan is HAMK’s is one of the network’s key assets. The goals of the vision to become a highly respected international higher network are to increase profi tability and cost-effi ciency, education institution by the year 2015. It takes four receive peer support and to serve customers better. different views into account: the student, the world of The West-Finland FIRST network is a work, society and the organization’s own development geographically focused (western Finland), multi- and benefi t viewpoint. disciplinary network of 7 Finnish and 20 Russian At HAMK, there are 6 bachelor-level and partner institutions covering nine different subject 1 master-level degree programmes being taught in areas. The West Finland FIRST network has been English. There are currently 490 international degree successfully operated for 6 years. The main objective students at HAMK. Most of the HAMK units of the network is to further strengthen academic have courses delivered in English and are meant for collaboration in various forms between Finnish and exchange students as well as HAMK’s own students. Russian partner universities and to promote student and Some activities to promote internationalisation are teacher mobility. A joint intensive course is organised in student and staff mobility, teaching in a foreign the framework of FIRST cooperation. language, internationalisation at home and international At an international level, the aim of the Finnish education, research and development projects. University Network for Asian Studies is to promote HAMK has about 100 fellowship universities in education, research and personelle exchange on and to Europe. In Asia, North and South America, Russia and Asia among the member universities. The network is Africa there are about 20 fellowship universities. There are coordinated at the , Centre for East opportunities to study for a double degree with partner Asian Studies (CEAS). There are seven Finnish member institutions in Germany, France, the United Kingdom, universities in this network. Denmark, The Netherlands and China. In 2010, there were 156 incoming and 194 outgoing exchange students and trainees and 169 outgoing and 91 incoming teacher Support structure and other staff exchanges. In terms of collaboration HAMK is involved in several different activities to with national and international education institutions, support the region with the development of relevant HAMK has a well developed network for collaboration, education and competence development, ranging often with a focus on internationalisation. HAMK is from vocational training to joint research. There is part of fi ve different national networks involved in HEI also incubator cooperation, which provides help for internationalisation activities: Federation of Universities students to promote their ideas, products and education of Applied Sciences FUAS, Pinnet, Helsinki Education for entrepreneurship. and Research Area (HERA), West Finland HEInet, HAMK’s Research and development (R&D) West-Finland FIRST network and Finnish University activities cover applied research, development, the design

NORDREGIO WORKING PAPER 2012:3 55 of new products, services, production processes or and citizens in the region together in a novel way and methods, world of work, organizational empowerment provides new ideas and tools for development. The aim and improvement of individual capabilities, the is to strengthen cooperation between actors, improve facilitation of technological and social innovation, focus regional know-how and education supply and promote on product and process innovations, human interaction innovations. The network is an internet based platform in the context of organizations, work and provision that enables the distribution and development of ideas. of social services, implementation through projects It is a working environment, virtual meeting place and theses, operational integration with HAMK’s and innovation platform. HOC has three lines in its degree programmes and other education. There is an development work: education and research, innovations aim to combine education and research into a genuine, and companies and civic activity. This is implemented in work-based learning environment. Expert services and line with related common projects and R&D projects. external assignments are provided to contribute to the The goal is to create a permanent cooperation model and product development of clients. in quantitative perspective it aim to improve educational The Häme Vocational Institute (HAMI) offers level of the region and to create more inputs on R&D education in natural resources and the environment, food in the region. production and tourism. The main forms of education HAMK wants to promote lifelong learning are professional training for full-time and part-time by offering Open University studies and continuing studies leading to a vocational qualifi cation, as well as professional education which includes specialisation professional and further education. The institute works studies, commissioned training courses and programmes in close cooperation with HAMK, operating on the same and training for entrepreneurs. Of all HAMK students, premises and sharing resources. Häme Open Campus 26 per cent are studying while working; so having fl exible (HOC) is a regional network formed by educational, education possibilities is very important. Educational research and development units and institutions. It was solutions are based on blended learning, which includes offi cially established 2009 and is based on the Regional eLearning. The eLearning Centre is a research and Strategy for Education and Research up to 2013 by the development unit of virtual and digital learning which Ministry of Education. The strategy emphasizes the focuses on web-based teaching, studying and learning. importance of regional cooperation between providers In addition to new learning environments, methods of education and research and local business, industry of e-learning, teaching and working are developed in and other stakeholders, to promote competitive regional accordance with the requirements of different target innovation environment and international networking. groups. HOC brings higher education and research institutions

Collaboration with the surrounding society

According to the Finnish law for Universities of Applied Häme Open Campus, national and regional clusters Science, they should collaborate with national and and member municipalities and industrial businesses. international HEIs and other educational institutions, as Nowadays, there are over 70 ongoing projects at well as with the labour market and surrounding society, HAMK. especially from regional perspective. A division of labour in the innovation network Cooperation brings possibilities for more in the region is evident, whereby HAMK is educating projects, more fi nancing, more learning and sharing, professionals, and doing applied research and more idea exchange. In the education strategy 2010- development projects with companies and associations. 2015, it is stated that network activities need to be about Regional development companies, incubators and common learning and co-working, and not just with technology centres are supporting companies. Between business life, but also with all of the societal institutions. academic institutions and companies, there are start-up The R&D activities are concentrated on customer- incubator activities. The aim of the HAMK is to build and solution-centric R&D; demand- and user-driven a new type of innovation network, which covers its interactive innovation; the front end of innovation; whole operating region. There are many new regional foresight and new business development; and the tight R&D centres formed, such as InnoForss (in Forssa) integration of education, R&D and innovation (ERI). and AutoMaint (in Valkeakoski). Business services In the HAMK Strategy 2015, it is stated that important provided by HAMK are an important part of the strategic partners include FUAS collation, international regional development work. The commercialisation HEI partnerships, strategic business partnerships, of ideas generated at HAMK continued in the AMK-

56 NORDREGIO WORKING PAPER 2012:3 TULI (“Research into Business”) programme funded and decision makers are closely connected. The R&D by The Finnish Funding Agency for Technology and centres bring together researchers, teachers and students Innovation (TEKES). Several promising business ideas to work on shared research and product development have been refi ned and companies have been formed as projects, creating structures for continuous interaction a result. with representatives of the labour market and fostering HEI networking is very important, as for the growth of students into experts in their professions. example, some funding from European Structural Some of the R&D Centres of HAMK are Automaint, Funds requires large regions such as Southern Finland eLearningCentre, InnoForss, Innosteel and Sheet Metal to be well networked. The most important HEI partners Centre. of HAMK are located in Helsinki-Hämeenlinna- Tampere region. Laurea University of Applied Sciences, Tampere Technical University, InnoSteel and Sheet Metal Centre and the research centres MTT Agrifood Research One example of an Education and research centre is Finland and VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland InnoSteel. It is based on collaboration with a metal are the most important partners. Tampere Technical industry cluster; where metal companies bring their R&D University has common programmes with HAMK needs, HAMK brings their expertise and the Innopark at Valkeakoski. HAMK has a strong co-operative (http://www.innopark.fi ) provides space and services. programme with University of Tampere in terms of The vision of InnoSteel is to become Finland’s leading a professional education centre, which is located in centre at international level in product development, Hämeenlinna at HAMK. HAMK’s research activities training for metal construction and the development of are also concentrated in Tampere’s direction, including professional competence and product development in collaboration with the Tampere Technical University. sheet metal products and steel construction. Further, eLearning connections are strong. Other The Sheet Metal Centre (SMC) is part of important collaborating partners for HAMK are Aalto InnoSteel and is located in the Technology Centre University, and Universities Innopark. The location offers less expensive offi ce of Applied Sciences in Lahti, Tampere, Seinäjoki and spaces and less traffi c compared to the capital region. Satakunta. HAMK frequently undertakes TEKES Founded in 1998, SMC is the oldest research unit at projects with other technical universities or with HAMK University of Applied Sciences. It has 10 full- traditional universities such as University of Tampere time R&D employees and a varying number of trainees. and University of Helsinki. Strong and experienced The centre is focused on forming and joining sheet national partners (MTT and ) also help metal, developing materials and coatings, weathering smaller HEIs like HAMK in internationalisation. tests, as well as structural analyses and loading tests. The Häme Region Centre of Expertise is a A signifi cant part of SMC activities consist of R&D part of the national Centre of Expertise Programme projects, which are either public projects together with (OSKE). In line with the specifi c strengths of companies, or confi dential customer-specifi c research the Hämeenlinna region, the Centre of Expertise projects. The aim is to improve the competitiveness is focusing on the development of vocational of Finnish sheet metal products and manufacturing. competencies, learning and e-learning. The programme SMC is collaborating with industry and other research recruits regional partners in vocational competence to institutes, but is also actively involved in the teaching collaborate with the University of Tampere, HAMK offered by HAMK. The centre specifi cally aims to and local companies. During the current programme contribute to HAMK’s post-graduate education, but period, the Häme Region Centre of Expertise develops also to act as a link between the industry and HAMK’s new competencies through three national competence degree programmes, and between companies and clusters: Living Business; Digibusiness; and Intelligent students through, for example, industry-based project Machines cluster programmes. The technology centre assignments. Innopark has coordinated the implementation of the Several different types of collaboration have Centre of Expertise Programme in the Häme region been developed between companies and HAMK. since 2003. HAMK collaborates directly in projects with small and In HAMK’s strategy, one of the aims is to medium sized companies, mainly in the Häme region. integrate R&D into education. One of the ways to Such collaborations help create networks for HAMK’s do this is by organising its functions in the form of international partners. Besides, there are innovation education and research centres. These centres conduct activities for fi rms, which are based on problem based most of HAMK’s R&D operations. The R&D centres learning and many course projects are assigned by are designed to vary depending on the location where companies. they operate. Regional economic life, the public sector One example of business collaboration is

NORDREGIO WORKING PAPER 2012:3 57 Rautaruukki, an international Finnish based metal Mr. Ranta-Eskola, the CEO of Rautaruukki, the effects company. The company has been running the have been positive and company revenue has increased production and development centre, Sheet Metal Centre, 20 per cent per cent since the centre was established. in collaboration with HAMK since 1998. According to

The role of HAMK in regional development

The main goal stated in HAMK’s regional strategy is for the level of education in the area. However, there is still HAMK to be well connected to the innovation networks work to be done in making entrepreneurship education and to produce skilled workers, innovations and new part of every programme in HAMK, connecting R&D activities for regional needs. Since HAMK is education to R&D activities and expanding incubator the only HEI in the County of Häme, they have an cooperative to the whole operating region of HAMK. important role in building regional competiveness. HAMK is an important actor in strategy planning HAMK’s positive impact on the region can be seen in work in the region and has been involved in the county’s the number of students who graduate and start their strategy on the development of new areas of business. own enterprises; incubator activities; the active role HAMK is trying to meet business needs and to develop companies take in the projects, ongoing professional ways to answer them by focusing work-life solutions on exchanges between HAMK and companies and teaching and having more educational products based internationalisation. on demands from the workforce in different areas. HAMK is located at the HHT-axis, the axis made HAMK is participating in strategy work with Häme up of Helsinki, Hämeenlinna and Tampere. HAMK’s County by making a regional employment strategy and location at the HHT axis is positive, as many companies, regional foresight work. both national and international, are located in the area. Regional collaboration is very important from This is good for the University of Applied Sciences and the stakeholders’ perspective. The R&D centres also for students, because trainee and thesis possibilities have developed important platforms for HAMK and are good. However, locating between the Metropolitan stakeholder collaboration. However, there is still work Area of Helsinki, Tampere city region, City of Turku to be done, so these activities involve multiple actors and City of Lahti is also a challenge. Hämeenlinna, in the area. The R&D activity in Häme is still at a low Forssa and Valkeakoski campuses seem to attract level compared to neighbouring regions. Increasing fewer students than the bigger cities. According to R&D activities in the area by connecting actors in new vice-rector Puusaari, HAMK needs to work twice as ways and boosting knowledge transfer is important much to compete with other HEIs in the HHT-axel and Häme Open Campus has opportunities to be this area. Still, being a smaller city can attract students who supporting linkage. do not want to live in the larger Tampere or Helsinki At a national level, there have been discussions areas. HAMK can also offer a unique English degree on reducing the number of universities of applied programme (the only English Mechanical Engineering science. HAMK has been active in increasing and Production Technology programme in Finland), stakeholder knowledge about activities in the different which is appealing, especially for international students. campuses. Today, HAMK is a well-know and visible About 80 per cent of all students come from a 100km actor in the region and also a very well-known university radius from campus areas and are employed in the same of applied science in Finland. According to vice-rector areas, mainly the Helsinki-Tampere region and Western Puusaari, external research fi nancing at HAMK is Finland. Graduated international students have more second or third among Finnish universities of applied diffi culties gaining employment in Finland. science. The fact that there are campuses in different Education at HAMK is strong and closely locations of the region is important: they bring tax connected to regional needs. The number of students money, they help to build good image and they effect starting their own businesses after graduating is on companies’ political decisions. Having separate units among the highest in Finland, about 2 to 3 times the is helping municipalities to be evenly benefi ting from national average. Encouraging entrepreneurship though positive effects of HAMK. Sometimes having separate education and research is one of the main focuses in campuses can be challenging, but the infl uence on educational development, and this is done through regional development can be very positive especially for interactive learning, extensive networks to enterprises, smaller campuses, which are nowadays more connected alumni activities and student counseling, amongst other to Hämeenlinna’s direction. things. Further, extensive adult education is increasing Acting and benefi ting the local area and

58 NORDREGIO WORKING PAPER 2012:3 collaborating with local fi rms, public actors and Regional Council of Häme and international level and cooperation with other Statistics Finland actors cannot be ignored. The Ministry of Education The Finnish Higher Education Evaluation Council has asked HAMK to name all international co-operative (FINHEEC). (2001). Ammattikorkeakoulujen actors that they deal with. To better serve the region, aluekehitysvaikutuksen huippuyksiköt 2001. international experience is needed. The county has also Publications of the Finnish Higher Education addressed this concern, as Häme is one of the least Evaluation Council 8:2001. international areas in Finland and companies usually The Finnish Higher Education Evaluation Council concentrate on regional and national markets. The aim (FINHEEC). (2003). Hämeen ammattikorkeakoulun is to support companies to broaden their markets. kokonaisarviointi (Institutional Evaluation of Häme Polytechnic) Publications of the Finnish Higher Education Evaluation Council 9:2003. References The Finnish Higher Education Evaluation Council FUAS (2011). Federation of Universities of Applied (FINHEEC). (2003). Ammattikorkeakoulut Sciences. aluekehitysvaikutuksen huippuyksiköt 2003–2004. HAMK (2002). Hämeen ammattikorkeakoulun Publications of the Finnish Higher Education aluestrategia (Regional strategy of HAMK). Evaluation Council 12:2003. HAMK (2005). Kasvukeskusten keskiössä– Vepsäläinen, J., Vainikka, J. and Paakkunainen, S. (2008). Metropoli ja maaseutu kohtaavat Kanta-Hämeessä Regional Economy of Häme – Kanta- and Päijät-Häme ja Etelä-Pirkanmaalla toimivien yliopistojen, structural analyses. TE-Centre in Häme ammattikorkeakoulujen ja tutkimuslaitosten yhteinen aluestrategia 2006–2009. HAMK (2007). Kansainvälistymisstrategia 2007. Interviews: (Strategy for International cooperation). Puusaari, Pertti, Vice director, Development Manager, HAMK (2010). Education strategy 2010-2015. HAMK, 10. February, 2011, telephone interview HAMK (2011). Development Strategy for Hakala, Matti, K. Research Manager, R&D work, Internationalisation 2015. HAMK, 10. February, 2011, telephone interview HAMK (2011). Research and Development Strategy Heinonen, Pipa, Häme Open Campus project leader, 2015. HAMK, 8. March, 2011, telephone interview HAMK (2011). HAMK Strategy 2015. Engbom, Tuija, R&D study programme manager, HAMK (2011). HAMK University of Applied Sciences HAMK, 11. March, 2011, telephone interview homepage. and development, HAMK, 22. March, 2011, telephone Ministry of Education and Culture (2011). Ojanen, Laura, Programme Manager of Mechanical Mustikkamäki, N. & Sotarauta, M. (edit.) (2008). Engineering and produce Development study program, Innovaatioympäristön monet kasvot. Many faces of the HAMK, 23. March, 2011, telephone interview Innovation Environment. Press. Ranta-Eskola, Arto, CEO of Rautaruukki, collaborator Regional Council of Häme (2010). Maakuntaohjelma with HAMK, 18. March, 2011, telephone interview 2011-2014 (Regional Strategic programme of Häme).

NORDREGIO WORKING PAPER 2012:3 59 60 NORDREGIO WORKING PAPER 2012:3 Lappeenranta University of Technology (LUT)

Written by Veera Lehto and Henna Hintsala

The Lappeenranta region

Lappeenranta is situated in the County of South . places. The biggest employers are District This geographic location gives a special character to of Social and Health Services (Eksote), the City of Lappeenranta’s cross-boarder co-operation, 70 km Lappeenranta, Lappeenranta University of Technology borderline with Russia. The land area of the County of and UPM-Kymmene Oyj. There are two higher South Karelia is 5 613 km2, representing about 2 per education institutions in the region: Saimaa University cent of Finland. There are 134 019 inhabitants in the of Applied Sciences (2 800 students) and Lappeenranta county and close to 72 000 inhabitants in the central University of Technology (5 000 students). Other city, Lappeenranta (13th biggest city of Finland). The education institutions are the Army Academy (branch population density of the county is 24 persons/km2, of the Finnish Defence Forces) (200), South Karelia which is above the national average of 18 persons/km2 Vocational College (3 000) and South Karelia Adult (Lindqvist, 2010a). Education Centre (250). According to general demographic and economic According to the strategy of Lappeenranta (2012), indicators, the County of Southern Karelia and all other the municipality wants to become an international and counties in Eastern Finland have a GPN per capita well energetic university city. By 2012, the municipality below the Finnish average. They have also experienced of Lappeenranta will focus on entrepreneurship, considerable population decline over the period 1995- logistics, cross-border cooperation, Russian networks 2010 (-4.2 per cent). However, there are variations and tourism. According to the Finnish Law of between municipalities. In Lappeenranta population Regional Development, the council acts as a regional change has been positive (3.1 per cent) during this development authority. The Regional Council of period. The biggest factor in population decline is that South Karelia has presented four main areas of focus natural change is negative and positive migration does for the region in the Regional Strategic Programme not compensate for this. 2011-2014: renewal of economic structure, education In the region, the number of industrial jobs has and skilful workforce, networking municipalities and declined, but growth has occurred particularly in the renewal of service structure, along with a sustainable form of high skilled jobs. The main business fi elds living environment and high quality infrastructure. are wood processing, information and communication Lappeenranta University of Technology is one of the technology, service industries, stone industry, most important collaborating partners of South Karelia metallurgy, engineering and tourism. In Lappeenranta, County in this development. there are about 3 200 companies and 31 000 work

Presentation of LUT

The Lappeenranta University of Technology (LUT) was that complement each other – technology and business established in 1969. The main campus is located about studies. The University has three faculties, the faculty 7 kilometres away from the Lappeenranta city centre. of technology, the faculty of technology Management LUT conducts scientifi c research and provides academic and the Business School, and 17 departments. The education. The university combines two fi elds of science main campus of the Saimaa University of Applied

NORDREGIO WORKING PAPER 2012:3 61 Sciences is located on the same campus, Skinnarila, as though it also has a regional and national role. Because Lappeenranta University of Technology. LUT has three of its location and strong concentration on the forestry university level regional units (Kouvola unit of LUT, industry, Lappeenranta has a strong international LUT Lahti School of Innovation and LUT Savo) and tradition. The mission of LUT is to “create the Future seven separate research centres. Regional units in Lahti with Technology and Business”. LUT specializes in and are a part of university consortiums. industrial technology (especially forest and energy), The history of the School of Business dates back information technology and economics. Being located to the year 1919, when the Society for Viipuri School near the eastern boundary of Finland, the university of Economics was founded. The society, headed by also offers comprehensive know-how related to Russia. businessmen, aimed to establish a Finnish-speaking These issues make up LUT’s four strategic focus areas: higher education institution in economics in Viipuri (Vyborg), the most international centre of commerce in • Energy effi ciency and the energy market Finland at the time. After World War II, Viipuri was lost • Strategic management of business and technology to the Soviet Union. The society, however, along with • Scientifi c computing and modelling of industrial its affl uent members, continued to accumulate assets. processes Gradually, focus shifted and the aim became to establish • Expertise in Russian business and industry related a school of business close to the eastern border and the to the areas above fi nal location was Lappeenranta. Faculty strategies and six reform programs help to specify Strategy 2013 and put it into practice. The six reform Facts and fi gures programs are High-quality research, Best education in LUT is state run and state funded, like all other Finland, Interaction with society, Internationalization, universities in Finland. In 2009, basic state funding Human resources and management, and Distinction for the university amounted to about €40m and and appeal. According to vice-rector Virolainen, LUT supplementary funding to €26m. Supplementary has tried to think of the strategy in a new way so that funding is mostly offered by the Academy of Finland, it is less cluster based and rather more methodology the Finnish Funding Agency for Technology and based. The aim is to bring this thinking in education Innovation (TEKES) and EU funding. About 77 per and also in the research. cent of external funding is research fi nancing. LUT has been involved in international university The university offers education in six Master’s accreditation and received feedback which has been programmes in business and fi ve in technology. In relevant and helpful when improving education. Internal 2010, LUT had approximately 5 264 students at all auditing is an important part of the quality management degree levels and a staff of 875 persons. In 2010, there of Lappeenranta University of Technology. Internal were 2 906 Bachelor degree students, 1 825 Master’s audits are carried out systematically every two years. In degree students, 66 licentiate and 467 PhD students. university, there are over 30 educated internal auditors. Around 1 000 degrees are completed annually. In LUT, Results of all internal audits are reported and the reports 75 per cent of all students study engineering and 25 are published in the intranet of the university. per cent economics. The number of female students in The Finnish Higher Education Evaluation engineering is 23 per cent and 50 per cent in business. Council (FINHEEC) audits the quality assurance There are also students in further education systems of all the Finnish higher education institutions. course (about 1700 students) and in the Open University The objective is to ensure that the higher education (about 1500 students). Saimaa University of Applied institution has a quality assurance system that supports Sciences is located primarily on the same campus with the continuous development of activities, is in 3 000 students and a staff of about 280 people. Overall, accordance with its objectives and is internationally there are about 8 000 students studying in Skinnarila reliable. LUT has been audited and in 2009 FINHEEC campus in Lappeenranta and the two HEIs have a decided, based on the proposal of the audit group, common science library and infrastructure. that LUT meets the criteria set for quality assurance systems and the quality assurance of higher education institutions’ basic mission. The audit is valid for six years. Development strategies The Department of Industrial Management (TUTA) The main target of the Lappeenranta University’s has been getting recognition three times at the national Strategy 2013 is to be “independently together”. level: TUTA has been awarded the title of Centre of According to vice-rector Virolainen, LUT acts as Excellence in Education from Ministry of Education. an independent actor, but also has a high level of The performance of the Centre of Excellence units collaboration with other actors. LUT wants to see was assessed in the following areas: mission of the its’ profi le as an international science university, even

62 NORDREGIO WORKING PAPER 2012:3 unit, programme and course design, delivery of includes activities like coordinating an open network education, outputs and continual development. Further, society Northern Dimension Institute (NDI) and international interaction, co-operation and networking playing an active role in the Finnish-Russian Innovation were regarded as favourable factors. University (FRIU). LUT is operating in the electricity, Through international accreditations, LUT metal and forestry clusters formed by Finnish and promotes the quality management and international Northwest Russian actors. To support the Russian comparability of the programmes as well as the Agenda of the Finnish-Russian technology industry mobility of the graduates. International accreditations and its internationalization in the integrating European are in accordance with the strategy of the university as and Russian markets, degree programmes in the Faculty they support internationalisation of the programmes of Technology at LUT operate an extensive Russia and professionalisation of the programme Programme. LUT educates students in nine different management. Partners of LUT in accreditation of the Master’s programmes, also specialising in the challenges degree programmes are the European Network for of working in different environments and combining Accreditation of Engineering Education (ENAEE), the cultural differences of two economic areas. These Akkreditierungsverfahren für Studiengänge der programmes offer most students double degrees Ingenieur- und der Naturwissenschaften (ASIIN), the from Russian partner universities and LUT. All of the European Consortium for Mathematics in Industry programmes also include a large number of students of (ECMI) and The Welding Society of Finland (WSF). Russian origin. There are accredited programmes in Chemical The Finnish-Russian Innovation University is Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Industrial an alliance between Finnish and Russian universities Management, Techno mathematics and Technical (3 universities from Finland and 6 universities from Physics. St. Petersburg). The aim of the alliance is to create a link between the EU, Finland and Russia, to promote research in the fi elds of technology and business and to International profi le do educational cooperation including common English LUT has a strong ambition to be a highly regarded master’s programmes. internationally, attractive and professionally managed The university is involved in various exchange science university. According to Strategy 2013, this is networks, including ERASMUS, NOREK and done by supporting the internationalisation of students NORDTEK and there are also bilateral agreements with during their studies by creating individual incentives, international universities. There is also an international developing services related to internationalisation, teacher and researcher exchange. The total number of removing barriers to student exchange and by creating all exchange students is about 360, which includes all opportunities for intercultural interaction within the incoming and outgoing students per year. LUT university community. Moreover, the university At an international level, the aim of the Finnish will develop crediting studies completed abroad. University Network for Asian Studies is to promote There are three Master’s Programmes in education, research and personal exchange on and to Business, four in Technology and two in Technology Asia among the member universities. The network is Management, which are open for international students. coordinated at the University of Turku, Centre for East In 2010, about 9 per cent of degree students were Asian Studies (CEAS). There are seven Finnish member foreign. In the fall of 2011, 25 per cent of new starting universities in this network. students were foreign. LUT is also involved in several international In aiming to be an international university, it collaborations, such as the European Research is important for LUT to have effective, international Community on Flow, Turbulence and Combustion co-operation and partnership network. LUT has (ERCOFTAC) and the European Consortium for collaborations all over the world, in the USA, Central- Mathematics in Industry (ECMI). Europe, China and Japan; with a total of 171 exchange universities in 38 countries. In 2010, there were 183 incoming and 182 outgoing exchange students and Support structure trainees. The number of teachers and researchers on The aim of the Lappeenranta University of Technology exchange was 69 incoming and 116 outgoing. has been to put together technique and business In accordance with the 2013 strategy, the focus is economic thinking in education and research. There on Russian cooperation and knowledge. This is where are cross disciplinary research projects conducted at the the Lappeenranta University of Technology’s approach university. According to vice-rector Virolainen, well- is to build a bridge to the Russian Market. NORDI is organised cross disciplinary research gives good value coordinating LUT’s activities concerning Russia. This and image and helps receive fi nancing. The research and

NORDREGIO WORKING PAPER 2012:3 63 Development activities of LUT are focused on energy agreements, know-how transfers and new companies. effi ciency and energy markets, scientifi c computing The programme is developed in cooperation with and modeling of industrial processes, strategic-level the R&D and innovation services of universities and business and technology management and Russian research institutes that have a mission to fi nd and expertise in strategic areas of knowledge. develop research-based inventions and business ideas. There are seven university related R&D Lappeenranta University of Technology is part of the institutions (research units) in the Lappeenranta Southern Finland InnoTuli-consortia, including Aalto- University of Technology. The South Karelian Institute university, Svenska handelshögskolan and Sibelius- is a separate research unit of LUT, the Technology Academy. Business Research Centre (TBRC), the Northern In 2010, there were 39 innovation announcements, Dimension Research Centre (NORDI) and The Centre 56 project proposals, 3 patent applications and 2 of Computational Engineering and Integrated Design companies established at the Lappeenranta University (CEID) are multi-disciplinary research units of LUT, of Technology. Overall, there have been over 20 spin while the Centre for Separation Technology (CST) off companies formed between 2001 and 2010. Some and Carelian Drives and Motor Centre (CDMC) and successful spin-offs of LUT are: FiberLaboratory are cooperative institutes of LUT departments. • AXCO-Motors, special electric motors and Research and Innovation Services assist generators manufacturer researchers at Lappeenranta University of Technology • MeVEA, simulator and simulation software with research project agreements, fi nancing and manufacturer for the mining and port industries administration and provides access to all research- and educational institutions related expertise accumulated at LUT. Services’ staff • Asset Vision, consultant company providing of four members also helps to determine the novelty, design, analysis and training services, and develops patentability, marketability and productization of asset management process software for electricity inventions. Research and Innovation Services use companies fi nance from the TULI-programme, which is a national • WAP ULEC The fruitful result of Finnish-Russian collaboration programme for innovative start-ups, collaboration, offering a unique method of water fi nanced by the Finnish Funding Agency for Technology purifi cation using electrical discharge and Innovation (Tekes). The TULI-programme runs • CWP Coloured Wood Products Ltd., specializing in until 2013 and the aim of the programme is to help the production of through-coloured wood products higher education institutions and research facilities to • Severa, providing a web-based tool for handling evaluate the commercial potential of research based customer management, sales tracking, project inventions or ideas and aid in the process of their management, hourly records, travel and expense commercialization. The programme aims to give birth tracking, invoicing, reporting and projections to new research-based business with the aid of license

Collaboration with the surrounding society

The stated aim in LUT’s strategy is maintaining Companies have been established in close independence while building extensive networks and collaboration with LUT, including the international collaborating closely with external stakeholders at all electrical energy company The Switch. LUT is well geographical levels. The university enjoys close co- connected with local actors: Technopolis, Lappeenranta operation with industry. Cooperation began with the Innovations Ltd (organisation supporting LUT), patent forestry industry, but contacts have expanded over the agencies, Tekes, Areva and Venture cup. According to years, to cover a range of different industries, including Mr. Ervelius, Innovation Manager of LUT, there are electricity and metals. Cooperation with regional and three different kinds of collaborations: national companies is strong. LUT has a lot of joint research projects with companies; there are about 400 • Partnerships (e.g. Lappeenranta Innovations Ltd, research projects in which companies are involved. Teknopolis, Lappeenranta municipality) Research projects are 40 per cent funded by companies. • Patent collaboration (e.g. Papula Nevinpat) Also, most of the thesis work in LUT is done for • Innovation target groups (Companies for whom fi rms (95 percent). Collaborating benefi ts both actors, innovations are trying to be sold or collaboration to catering to the needs of both students and businesses. be made e.g. The Switch company)

64 NORDREGIO WORKING PAPER 2012:3 The Centre of Expertise Programme (OSKE) special institution in EU-Russia innovation cooperation. The government programme aimed at focusing regional company has been granted EC-BIC status and is a resources and activities on development areas of key full member of the European Business & Innovation national importance. The programme offers networks Centre Network (EBN) for the maximum period of and services for companies, universities, universities three years in 2010. This enables them to benefi t from of applied sciences and research institutions. The national and international programmes and contacts operations model of the programme was reformed including companies, public sector and training and for the term 2007–2013 as a cluster-based model, research organizations. Lappeenranta Innovation Ltd the overriding objective being to increase regional organized two EU-Russia Innovation Forums in 2010 specialisation and to strengthen cooperation between and 2011. Centres of Expertise. The Centre of Expertise The Lappeenranta University of Technology Programme involves 13 national Clusters of Expertise has a lot of cooperation with other higher education and 21 regional Centres of Expertise. institutes in Finland. Collaborating can help with raising One of the Centres of Expertise is the Southeast the quality and the amount of the research. For example, Finland Centre of Expertise, which is a member of three technical research demands lots of investments in national Competence Clusters: Forest Industry Future, machinery, which makes it essential to co-operate Intelligent Machine and Maritime. The Southeast Finland and share facilities. Aalto-university and the Tampere Centre of Expertise provides business knowledge, University of Technology are important partners of technological know-how and a major point of contact LUT. The universities have applied for funding, mostly for SMEs in the areas of packaging, composites, Tekes innovation grants, as a team and LUT also has a intelligent wood and forest chemistry, fi bres, energy and common doctoral student education programmes with life cycle (enabling technologies) and future innovative these universities. metal products. The Centre of Expertise is a gateway to LUT has an aim to support life-long learning. Russia for companies and partners from related sectors This is being done by offering solutions for maintaining of industry. and developing university-level knowledge to meet the Lappeenranta Innovation Ltd is the coordinator needs of working life. The Open University, continuing of the Forest Industry Future Cluster Programme and professional education and degree programs for Southeast Finland Centre of Expertise. In Southeast mature students and undergraduate courses will cater Finland, The Centre of Expertise Programme is run to the demands of full-time employed students and jointly with the Savonlinna Regional Federation of organisations. Municipalities and the Imatra Region Development The Alumni Association aims to facilitate Company. Lappeenranta Innovation Ltd, established networking, help members to contact and stay in touch in 2005, is a non-profi t company owned by the and provide information and career updates. Alumni Lappeenranta City Holding Company Ltd, Technopolis contribute to LUT by giving lectures and sharing their Plc and the Society for Viipuri School of Economics. expertise with students, sponsoring master’s theses and The company aims to promote new businesses in offering trainee positions and participating in research converging areas and support SME’s competitiveness cooperation. There is still work to be done in the in the region by raising their know-how, networking functionality of Alumni network, and internal alumni and internationalisation capabilities. Lappeenranta network of Industrial Engineering and Management Innovation Ltd is an internationally recognized can be seen as more functional.

The role of LUT in regional development

In the Strategy 2013, it is stated how important it is that the members of the university’s scientifi c community to Lappeenranta University of Technology is a high-level contribute their expertise to processes that enhance the research and education institution with close interaction attractiveness of the city of Lappeenranta and other with society by making important contribution to locations of LUT units as a place to study, work and industries and the public sector. In societal interactions, establish a business. LUT wants to actively develop the as stated in the strategy, the strategic development university consortia in Lahti and Mikkeli, as well as the target is encouraging contributions to society by LUT’s university’s own regional unit in Kouvola. experts in research and education; developing the The Lappeenranta University of Technology has popularization and commercialization of science and been important for the South Karelia region and also the focusing on regional activity. LUT tries to encourage whole South-eastern Finland since being established.

NORDREGIO WORKING PAPER 2012:3 65 The key to the university’s success is its integration level the university has come under pressure to serve of teaching and research in basic technologies with all the needs of society, not just industry. To meet the the development of skills in business management. need of the regional community, LUT has established This combination is more achievable in a relatively a number of institutions, including the South Karelian small institution, particularly one with strong links to Institute (2002) and the Northern Dimension Research industry in its regional environment. LUT has acted Centre (2003). as a contributor towards the restructuring of older International and regional levels are closely industries. Business activity has been formed around the connected and networking with both directions is university, especially in the fi eld of electrical and energy essential. Because of its location close to the boarder, engineering. Big companies like UPM-Kymmene have the role of Lappeenranta University of Technology established their own research units in the region. Even is to be the Russian specialist towards the Helsinki though there are many municipalities losing population, metropolitan area as well as towards European Union. Lappeenranta’s population is increasing. Lappeenranta LUT collaborates in these matters with the City of can be seen benefi tting the most in South Karelia. Lappeenranta and with other local actors. LUT fosters The Lappeenranta University of Technology new experts on Russian markets. For example, there is a is a very important regional actor. LUT has fi rm and common master’s programme with Russian universities, functional connections with companies and the City so there is economic life involved on the Russian side of Lappeenranta. The City of Lappeenranta and the as well. Students can get internships and contracts for County of South Karelia see the importance of LUT writing thesis work. for the future development in international connections Universities are facing structural changes, and the and building Russia connections. The city has been very number of universities may be reduced in the future. To active in supporting the development of the LUT. The allow universities to increase organisational fl exibility County of South Karelia is fi nancing LUT with EU and reduce state control,, there is a need to specialise in funding and collaborating in competence centres. certain areas of expertise and to be well-performed and From an educational point of view, the managed. In addition to collaborating, competition is geographical focus of the Lappeenranta University of essential. Today, there is hard competition for students Technology varies in different situations. Focus is mostly and research funding (TEKES and Finnish Academy) national when talking about Master’s Programmes and and smaller universities in particular have to be at good regional with Bachelor degree programmes. Research level in order to be successful. According to vice-rector is mostly national and international orientated. An Virolainen, LUT is focused on specialization and is international perspective is important, in demonstrating well profi led, as combining Industrial Management and that the university is not only educating workers for Technology has been benefi cial for the region. local companies. The region cannot offer enough working opportunities; besides South Karelia region, many graduates are employed in Uusimaa County and References elsewhere in Southern Finland. On a national scale, the Lappeenranta University of Technology homepage employment level of graduated students is one of the (2011). highest in Finland. Lappeenranta University of Technology (2010). Strategy About 20 per cent of graduates from the Industrial 2013 – Independently together. Engineering programme are staying in the local area. Lappeenranta Innovation Ltd (2011). in fewer jobs, but in electrical and energy engineering, Ministry of Education (2004). Regional Strategy for many graduates have started their own enterprises. The education and research up to 2013. Publications of the transfer of knowledge through teaching and learning Ministry of Education, Finland 2004:11. via graduates entering established enterprises. as well Ministry of Education and Culture (2011). students, has an important role in establishing new Regional Council of South Karelia (2010). companies. Maakuntaohjelma 2011-2014 (Regional Strategic LUT attracts students from the whole country, Programme of South Karelia). but mainly from Eastern and Southern Finland. In Regional Council of South Karelia of technology and also a strong university in business Statistics Finland administration. Southeastern Finland, bounded by Lahti TULI programme (2011). forms the main region of the university. At the local The Centre of Expertise Programme (OSKE)

66 NORDREGIO WORKING PAPER 2012:3 www.oske.net/en/> A Re-evaluation of the Third Role of Eastern Finland The City of Lappeenranta. The strategy of Lappeenranta Universities. Publications of the Finnish Higher (2012). Education Evaluation Council 11:2003. The Finnish Higher Education Evaluation Council The Finnish Higher Education Evaluation Council (FINHEEC). (2006). Kolmen yliopiston opetuksen (FINHEEC). (2009). Lappeenrannan teknillisen kehittämistoiminnan vaikuttavuus Lapin yliopiston, yliopiston laadunvarmistusjärjestelmän auditointi (Audit Lappeenrannan teknillisen yliopiston ja Vaasan yliopiston of the Quality Assurance System of the Lappeenranta opetuksen kehittämistoiminnan vaikuttavuuden University of Technology). Publications of the Finnish benchmarking-arviointi. (Impact of the teaching Higher Education Evaluation Council 7:20 development activities at three universities. Benchmark evaluation of the teaching development activities at , Lappeenranta University of Interviews Technology and ). Publications Virolainen, Veli-Matti, Vice rector and Vice director in of the Finnish Higher Education Evaluation Council the fi eld of research, LUT, 23. February 2011, telephone 9:2006. interview The Finnish Higher Education Evaluation Council Ervelius, Rauno, Innovation Manager, Research (FINHEEC). (2009). Centres of Exellence in Finnish and Innovation Services, LUT, 18. November 2010, University Education 2010-2012. Publications of the telephone interview Finnish Higher Education Evaluation Council 3:2009. Pirttilä, Timo, Professor, Industrial Management, The Finnish Higher Education Evaluation Council especially Logistics, LUT, 17. November 2010, (FINHEEC) (2009). Lappeenrannan teknillisen telephone interview yliopiston laadunvarmistusjärjestelmän auditointi (Audit Partanen, Jarmo, Professor, Electrical Engineering, of the Quality Assurance System of the Lappeenranta LUT, 17. Mars 2011, telephone interview University of Technology) Puttonen, Timo, Executive director, Regional Council The Finnish Higher Education Evaluation Council of South Karelia, 25. Mars 2011, telephone interview (FINHEEC). (2009). Learning Regional Engagement –

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taeisfrItrcinadteRl fHge dcto ntttosi einlDvlpeti h odcCutis NORDRE Strategies for Interaction and the Role of Higher Education Institutions in Regional Development in the Nordic Countries Strategies for Interaction and the Role of Higher Education Institutions in Regional Development in the Nordic Countries – Case Studies

Maria Lindqvist, Lise Smed Olsen, Peter Arbo, Veera Lehto and Henna Hintsala

NORDREGIO WORKING PAPER 2012:3

Nordregio P.O. Box 1658 SE–111 86 Stockholm, Sweden [email protected] GIO WORKING PAPER 2012:2 www.nordregio.se www.norden.org

ISSN 1403-2511 Nordic Council of Ministers ISBN 978-91-89332-88-1